and whoever was thinking he is clean/honest person and surprised to hear someone calls him corrupt; he has over 10 billion$ of assets since being in power, his wife and kids had nothing before that. Now they have ship companies, private hospital ownerships, construction firms valued more than a few hundred million dollars. check this on wikipedia
2013 corruption scandal in Turkey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_corruption_scandal_in_TurkeyThe 2013 corruption scandal in Turkey refers to a criminal investigation that involves several key people in the Turkish government. All of the 52 people detained on 17 December were connected in various ways with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Prosecutors accused 14 people – including Suleyman Aslan, the director of state-owned Halkbank, Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab, and several family members of cabinet ministers – of bribery, corruption, fraud, money laundering and gold smuggling.[1]
At the heart of the scandal was an alleged "gas for gold" scheme with Iran involving Aslan, who had US$4.5 million in cash stored in shoeboxes in his home, and Zarrab, who was involved in about US$9.6 billion of gold trading in 2012. Both men were arrested.[2] The scheme worked after officials of the Turkish government found a loophole in U.S. sanctions against Iran that allowed them to get Iranian oil and gas. The Turks exported some US$13 billion of gold to Iran directly, or through the UAE, between March 2012 and July 2013. In return, the Turks received Iranian natural gas and oil. The transaction was carried out through Turkish state-owned bank, Halkbank. In January 2013, the Obama administration decided to close this loophole but instead of immediately charging Halkbank, the U.S. government allowed its gold trading activities to continue until July 2013, because Turkey was an important U.S. ally regarding U.S. policy in the Syrian Civil War, and the U.S. had been working on a nuclear deal with Iran.[2]
Then-Prime Minister Erdoğan (now President of Turkey) was out on a foreign tour of Pakistan when the scandal broke, which analysts believe changed the response of the AK Party or influenced those with the tapes to leak them at a time when Erdoğan was touring a key ally (Pakistan) abroad.[3]
Second wave[edit]
Several newspapers reported that a new investigation was expected on 26 December, possibly involving then-Prime Minister (now President of Turkey) Erdoğan's sons, Bilal Erdoğan and Burak,[13] as well as certain Al-Qaeda affiliates from Saudi Arabia such as Sheikh Yaseen Al Qadi and Osama Khoutub.[14] The police officers in Istanbul Security Directorate, newly appointed by the government just a few days previously, refused to carry out their orders, and the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions did not approve this new operation. The man behind this second investigation, Prosecutor Muammer Akkaş, was dismissed on the same day.[15] Akkaş said he was prevented from performing his duty.[16]
A second wave of arrests was planned, and a list was leaked to the press.[17]
At midnight on 7 January, a government decree was published removing 350 police officers from their positions, including the chiefs of the units dealing with financial crimes, smuggling and organised crime.[18] Islamic community leader Fethullah Gülen described the decree as a purge of civil servants, while then-Prime Minister Erdoğan (now President of Turkey) described the corruption investigation as a "judicial coup" by those jealous of his success, namely the former's secretive Gülen movement, backed by foreigners.[19]
Since the beginning of the investigation, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has started a purge in the police force; sacking dozens of police chiefs, most notably Hüseyin Çapkın, the Chief of Police in Istanbul.[20] The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice also changed their regulations, forcing security forces to inform their seniors of their actions at all times.[21] This received criticism from the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, who are taking the case to the Turkish Council of State.[22] The Turkish Council of State overturned the change of these regulations on 27 December, much to the disappointment of Prime Minister Erdoğan.[23]
Various opposition sources accused the government of trying to influence the judiciary system and covering up the corruption. Among them was the Nationalist Movement Party MP Oktay Vural.[24] A heated controversy erupted after the release on YouTube of audio recordings in which Erdogan was reportedly heard telling his son, Bilal, to urgently get rid of tens of millions of dollars. Erdogan has claimed the recordings were a montage but the experts begged to differ.[1]
Erdoğan blamed the investigation on an international conspiracy and vowed revenge on the Islamic community of the preacher Fethullah Gülen.[27] There had been an antagonism between Erdoğan and Gülen for some time: Hakan Şükür, who is often regarded as a disciple of Gülen, had resigned his post in Justice and Development Party on 16 December.[28] Government officials accused Gulen and his followers of treason and started referring to them as "terrorists."[1]
Erdogan defended Halkbank chief executive Süleyman Aslan, describing him as "honest person". Aslan was charged with taking bribes by the prosecutors while the police are said to reportedly have found US$4.5 million in cash stored in shoe boxes in Aslan’s home.[29] After Aslan was arrested the bank's stock went down 32% for the year.[30] Erdoğan also threatened Francis Ricciardone, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, with expulsion.[31]
Erdoğan left the country for an official visit to Pakistan on 23 December, while the scandal was dominating the headlines.[3]
Erdogan's government dismissed or reassigned thousands of police officers and hundreds of judges and prosecutors - including those leading the investigation - and passed a law increasing government control of the judiciary.[43]
