Turkish First Family Mired in Corruption Scandal
It has been alleged that the corruption operation, which already extends to the ministers in the Cabinet, will reach PM Erdoğan and his family via Erdoğan's son Bilal Erdoğan after three minister's sons were detained. Bilal Erdoğan’s connection to the corruption case is through the Mayor of Fatih Province of İstanbul, Mustafa Demir, who allocated protected areas to the Turkey Youth and Education Services Foundation (TÜRGEV) established by the Erdoğan family and of which Bilal Erdoğan is a member of the Board of Directors. It was also revealed that TÜRGEV foundation had bought many valuable plots of land in recent weeks.
A student dormitory owned by TÜRGEV foundation was built on a protected site completely with the Municipal budget of the Fatih Municipality of Istanbul and last month the building was allocated to TÜRGEV by the AKP Mayor Mustafa Demir free of charge for 25 years. This situation possibly has a close connection with Bilal Erdoğan because Mayor Fatih Demir has been accused of "Illegally opening protected sites belonging to Fatih Municipality for construction and zoning using the power of the Ministry."
According to the December 14 dated news of Aydınlık, the General Directorate of Foundations allocated free of charge for 49 years some of the most valuable land from Eminönü, one of the most central districts of İstanbul, to the TÜRGEV foundation, which has been turned over to the management of PM Erdoğan's daughter, son and relatives.
PM Erdogan's eight bank accounts in Switzerland
Corruption operations also brought to mind PM Erdoğan's rumoured 8 Swiss distinct accounts. The related allegation was asserted by the former Counsellor of the Turkish Intelligence Organization (MİT) in Asia, Kaşif Kozinoğlu, who lost his life in a suspicious event while staying at the Silivri Prison in the scope of the Ergenekon trial. Kozinoğlu had sent a letter to Aydınlık before his death which mentioned that PM Erdoğan had 800 million TL in 8 distinct bank accounts in Switzerland.