Ahbap Case Wave 4: Turkish Celebrities Summoned Over Gambling Scandal
The Exploding Ahbap Association Investigation: A Comprehensive Update
The sweeping investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into the Ahbap Association—founded by singer Haluk Levent—continues to dominate national headlines. What started as a financial audit has snowballed into a massive legal case involving systemic fraud, money laundering, and high-stakes gambling.
As the judiciary digs deeper into the mismanagement of earthquake relief funds, prosecutors have initiated waves of depositions, summoning a long list of Turkey’s most prominent celebrities, actors, and journalists to the courthouse.
The Core Allegations and Current Status
The legal storm broke in mid-July 2026 following a devastating forensic audit by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). Investigators uncovered massive financial discrepancies within the charity, which had collected billions of liras in donations following the devastating February 2023 earthquakes.
- The Charges: The official investigation targets “Violation of the Law on Associations,” “Money Laundering,” and “Qualified Fraud.”
- The Gambling Nexus: Auditors revealed that 990 million TL of charity donations were systematically funneled into legal sports betting and gambling platforms. These transfers were routed through the personal accounts of Haluk Levent, his executive assistant, and other co-founders.
- Corporate Abuse:Haluk Levent is accused of using the charity’s official financial checks as personal collateral to guarantee his own private debts.
- Judicial Action: A total of 28 key suspects—including Haluk Levent, high-profile lawyer Ece Güner, and media figure Oğuzhan Uğur—were formally arrested and jailed. The state has since seized control of the Ahbap Association, placing it under the administration of a government-appointed trustee board.
The Waves of Celebrity Depositions
To map the full scope of the operation, prosecutors are questioning high-profile figures who publicly endorsed Ahbap, hosted fundraising broadcasts, or acted as ambassadors for the charity during the disaster response. The state is systematically bringing in these figures in organized waves.
Group 1 (July 22)
- Who:Ece Üner, Fatih Portakal, Feyza Altun, Gökhan Özoğuz, and Öykü Serter.
- Focus: Early high-profile media figures who used their platforms to direct public traffic and financial trust toward Ahbap.
Group 2 (July 23–24)
- Who:Fatih Altaylı, Şahan Gökbakar, Hazal Kaya, Ruşen Çakır, Özlem Gürses, and Fatih Koparan.
- Focus: Prominent journalists and actors who heavily shaped public opinion and defended the charity against scrutiny during the disaster period.
Group 3 (July 27–28)
- Who:Uğur Dündar, Mahsun Kırmızıgül, Gülben Ergen, Elçin Sangu, and Hayko Cepkin.
- Focus: Veteran entertainers and veteran journalists who lent their institutional credibility to the fundraising efforts.
Group 4 (July 29 – The Latest Wave)
- Who:Berna Laçin, Eda Ece, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, İrem Helvacıoğlu, and Kerem Bürsin.
- Focus: This latest wave heavily targets mainstream television stars and prominent social commentators who were instrumental in rallying international and domestic support during the crisis.
Key Witness Testimonies & Reactions
The dominant sentiment among the celebrities reporting to the Istanbul Palace of Justice is a mix of shock, defensiveness, and profound regret. Nearly all public figures have stated they had no access to the charity’s internal ledgers and acted purely out of humanitarian instinct.
Fatih Altaylı’s U-Turn
Journalist Fatih Altaylı gave a stinging testimony, admitting he was well aware of Levent’s historically chaotic financial past and gambling tendencies.
“I knew him as a gambler from his past financial crimes and I never personally trusted him. However, during the chaotic aftermath of the earthquake, I felt everyone deserved a second chance to help the nation. I deeply regret giving him support he absolutely did not deserve.”
Hazal Kaya’s Call for Transparency
Actress Hazal Kaya emphasized that her involvement was a purely emotional, human response to a national tragedy. She stated to the prosecutor that she strongly supports the legal process and wants the definitive truth about the missing funds brought to light for the sake of the victims.
Collective Distancing
Figures like pop singer Gülben Ergen and journalist Özlem Gürses clarified that they shared no personal or social relationship with Haluk Levent. They noted that even during the disaster, their public statements were always caveated with calls for independent auditing and transparency, which they now feel were completely ignored by the management.
What Happens Next?
The case is currently built on preliminary MASAK findings and internal charity logs. A specialized panel of forensic accountants and court-appointed experts is currently cross-referencing years of digital banking data to track exactly where every lira went.
As the 4th group concludes their statements, legal experts suggest prosecutors will soon finalize the official indictment, moving the case from the investigative phase to a high-stakes criminal trial.