“Erdogan Accused of Accepting $1 Billion Bribe for 2007 Public Tender”
Ali Yesildag, the brother of Hasan Yesildag, a trusted confidant of Erdogan’s family, has exposed corruption within Erdogan’s inner circle. Yesildag family owns one of the biggest pro-Erdogan media conglomerate in Turkey. Recently, he released the first of seven videos in which he promises to reveal shocking information about the corrupt practices of Erdogan and his close allies. Yesildag warns viewers to prepare for disturbing revelations and to keep a cup handy in case they feel nauseous.
In his first video, broadcasted by investigative journalist Cevheri Guven, Yesildag alleges that Erdogan and his associates cleared one billion dollars illegally from a public procurement tender for the management of Antalya Airport. Yesildag claims that Erdogan was involved in the scheme and helped his allies secure the money for Erdogan.
According to Yesildag, the tender was expected to go to Celebi Holding, a major company that bid four billion dollars for the project. However, Erdogan and his allies wanted Cecen Holding, owned by Ibrahim Cecen, to win the tender. Cecen Holding bid three billion dollars for the project but promised to pay Erdogan one billion dollars in bribes in return for winning the public tender.
To ensure that Cecen Holding won the tender, Yesildag claims that the application of Celebi Holding was illegally changed to disqualify them from the tender. Yesildag alleges that he worked with Mucahit Arslan, a deputy from Erdogan’s party, AKP, who promised to pay him thirty million dollars in exchange for information from Celebi Holding and manipulation of the tender procedure. However, Yesildag says that he was never paid.
After Celebi Holding was disqualified, Cecen Holding was declared the winner of the tender. Erdogan appeared on television to congratulate Cecen Holding on the same day of the tender, presenting it as a fair and legal process. Yesildag alleges that Erdogan is a thief who steals from the people and is applauded for his crimes.
Yesildag promises to reveal more shocking information in the remaining six videos, and viewers are eagerly waiting to hear what he will expose next.
Hasan Yeşildağ, Ali Yesildag’s brother, a confidant of Erdoğan and his sworn ally for decades, met Erdogan and his family in Üsküdar, Istanbul and embraced them as they were neighbors and were from the same province. Their relationship deepened over time. It is obvious that the new development will harm Erdogan and his party ahead of elections.
