Ahbap Investigation: Haluk Levent and Financial Allegations in the NGO

The investigation led by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office has brought into focus financial allegations and money transfers related to Haluk Levent and the Ahbap NGO. Twenty individuals have been taken into custody, including Haluk Levent, lawyer Ece Güner, and Haluk Levent's assistant Yeliz Kaya. According to the prosecution, approximately 120 million TL was transferred from Ahbap's accounts to Yeliz Kaya's accounts. Additionally, 1.5 million dollars (approximately 51 million TL) in cash was deposited into Haluk Levent's brother Berkant Acil's account, which was then transferred to Yeliz Kaya's account the next day. The MASAK report noted that Alper Çelik was a member of Ahbap NGO and had no corporate partnership or management role. The report also indicated that individuals made high-volume, profile-inconsistent transfers that required explanation. Ahbap NGO collected approximately 3 billion TL in donations after the February 2023 earthquakes. However, the NGO's website does not provide details on the total amount of donations or spending. The NGO supported the construction of tents and container cities in the affected regions. Additionally, 460 housing units were completed in Nurdağı, 208 in Battalgazi, and 56 in Arapgir. Under a protocol with Hatay Governorate, steel construction school projects were implemented.

The increase in investigations into the financial transparency of social aid NGOs in Turkey may erode public trust, potentially compromising the state's social responsibility projects by operating outside ethical frameworks.