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Turkish prosecutors filed an indictment seeking up to 25 years in prison for nine suspects accused of using Maydonoz Döner branches, a döner kebab restaurant chain, to fund the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) network, as well as “membership in an armed terrorist organization,” “violating the Law on the Prevention of Terrorist Financing,” according to an announcement Wednesday.
The indictment, prepared by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, alleges that Maydonoz Döner, which is under the trusteeship of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), served as a covert financial mechanism for FETÖ’s ongoing efforts to rebuild its structure. Prosecutors say the organization continued to employ strict secrecy and began new initiatives to support its members following previous crackdowns.
According to the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau, the chain’s branches across Türkiye were used to channel money to the group and provide employment opportunities for its members. Investigators say the suspects held official or unofficial partnerships in various Ankara outlets, while some fugitive FETÖ members abroad allegedly maintained hidden stakes in certain branches through intermediaries.
Financial records cited in the indictment indicate that profit shares were regularly transferred to individuals abroad, and that funds entering Türkiye were disguised as payments for “product purchases” through falsified invoices. A Financial Crime Investigation Board (MASAK) financial report found that a large number of individuals previously processed on FETÖ-related charges transferred money to the company and that several suspects’ banking activity was incompatible with their income levels.
The indictment also claims that significant amounts of donations, or “himmet,” a form of fundraising traditionally associated with the group, were collected through Ankara branches to support members. Although some outlets’ official partners had no criminal record, investigators found that their relatives with FETÖ convictions were secretly involved.
Prosecutors say the nine suspects, including Ahmet Mutlu Köylü, Bahadır Tatlıbaş, Cevat Dalli, Ebubekir Torun, Emrah Ak, Huzur Özer, Mustafa Sayın, Mustafa Yavuz Özmen and Tahsin Özbay, used the encrypted app Signal for organizational communication and facilitated financial transfers in Türkiye, Germany and Georgia.
The investigation marks one of the most extensive terrorism-financing cases involving a nationwide food franchise in recent years.
FETÖ has been facing increased scrutiny following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200 others. Tens of thousands of people were detained, arrested or dismissed from public sector jobs following the attempt under a state of emergency.
