Prosecutors ordered the detention of 17 individuals in an ongoing money laundering investigation involving members of the Sarıgül family.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is leading the inquiry into transactions carried out through domestic and foreign companies, according to state media reports. Authorities state that funds of unknown origin were channeled through corporate structures rather than being used for legitimate investment contracts, lending a legal appearance to illicit proceeds.
Following an earlier sweep where 27 suspects were remanded in custody, law enforcement executed a fresh wave of orders targeting 17 people. TRT Haber reports that 15 of those individuals were apprehended during the recent operations, while search efforts continue for two remaining suspects identified in court filings as Ç.K. and H.M.
Concurrently, NTV Haber notes that Ömer Sarıgül is scheduled to deliver an additional statement at the Istanbul Palace of Justice in the coming days.
Did You Know? The investigation originally began following a formal complaint filed by German citizens K.P. and M.B., who alleged that contracts and wire transfers formed part of the suspicious transactions, as outlined in prosecutor statements reported by TRT Haber.
The broader investigative file contains allegations regarding Mustafa Sarıgül, including accusations of establishing a criminal organization, child sexual abuse, laundering crime-derived assets, and qualified sexual assault. Because of his parliamentary status, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a lack of jurisdiction decision and transferred the relevant investigation files to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
BBC Türkçe reports that the forwarding of these files has triggered intense discussions inside political corridors regarding potential immunity lifting procedures in Parliament. Observers note three prevailing scenarios in parliamentary circles: a comprehensive immunity removal process targeting multiple lawmakers from various parties, a narrow procedure strictly limited to the Sarıgül dossier, or postponing any debate until the end of the current legislative term.
The judicial process has already resulted in numerous detention orders, releases under judicial control, and institutional interventions.
Sözcü Gazetesi notes that Emir Sarıgül utilized effective repentance provisions following his incarceration, giving statements that led to his subsequent release under house arrest on November 4, 2026.
Additional suspects, including Metin Mevlüt Sarıgül, Mehmet Meriç, Ömer Hürriyet Büken, Ömer Yazıcı, Süreyya Kurtalan, Zeynep Sarısoy, Berrak Çetinkaya, Cemil Vasken Barın, and Uğur Kurtulan, were released under judicial control terms. Beşir Ömer Demir and Atakan Eren face “confinement to residence” restrictions.
The inquiry also reached educational institutions when findings indicated that the Istanbul Şişli Vocational School was utilized within the scope of the operations.
The investigation was initiated following complaints filed by German citizens K.P. and M.B., who alleged that complex corporate structures were used to process high-value funds of unknown origin.
Mustafa Sarıgül faces allegations including the establishment of a criminal organization, child sexual abuse, laundering crime-derived assets, and qualified sexual assault, which prompted the transfer of his case file to Ankara.
Emir Sarıgül was initially remanded in custody before utilizing effective repentance provisions, and he was later released under house arrest following multiple statements to authorities.