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Details of a recently released indictment against Istanbul’s disgraced former mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, revealed confessions from 13 company owners who made illegal payments to a municipality-owned landscaping subsidiary.
Ağaç A.Ş., or “Tree Inc.,” run by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) until March 2025, before his arrest on corruption charges, apparently thrived on bribes, the indictment by prosecutors points out.
Imamoğlu faces a diverse array of lengthy prison terms for running a criminal ring at the municipality that extorted money from businesses in exchange for handing out zoning and construction permits. The bribery did not stop there; according to the indictment, the subsidiary Ağaç A.Ş. sought millions of Turkish liras in bribes from suppliers in hopes of extending their contracts. Prosecutors say the bribes were funnelled to what they call a “the system” established by the criminal ring to share illegal revenues. Bribes were also allegedly used to fund the election campaigns of Imamoğlu and his party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkish media outlets reported.
The indictment alleges that Ağaç A.Ş. demanded bribes amounting to 10% of the value of the work from its suppliers and that these payments were systematically collected through company executives.
According to his statement in the indictment, Ensar Güney, the owner of Güney Çiçekçilik, said he delivered about TL 100 million worth of products to Ağaç A.Ş. between 2023 and 2024. Güney said that after payments were delayed, Purchasing Manager Umit Polat approached him and told him that Ali Sukas (head of Ağaç A.Ş.) was demanding 10% from all suppliers.
Güney said that instead of the roughly TL 10 million allegedly requested, he handed over 35,000 euros in October 2024 and $15,000 in February 2025 to Sukas in cash. He also said he gave Polat gift cards worth TL 352,250 for the same purpose.
The indictment says Güney’s account is consistent with financial transactions identified in a report by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). It notes that Güney Çiçekçilik received 199 tenders from the municipality’s subsidiary between 2019 and 2025 and rejects Güney’s claim that he made payments merely to collect outstanding receivables, stating instead that the pattern indicates an ongoing bribery arrangement.
Another suspect, Savaş Bayraktar, owner of Durusu Fidancılık, said he sold about TL 45 million worth of products to Ağaç A.Ş. in 2023 and 2024. He alleged that after payments were delayed, Polat asked him for money “due to the election” and said payments could be made only on those terms.
Bayraktar said he was asked for $50,000, which he could not provide, but later gave Polat TL 500,000 in cash “to collect his receivables,” leaving the money in a bag on Polat’s desk. The indictment cites a MASAK report showing that Ağaç A.Ş. transferred TL 4 million to Durusu Fidancılık on March 29, 2024, that Bayraktar withdrew TL 500,000 on April 1, and that Polat deposited TL 52,000 in cash on May 14, consistent with his statement.
The indictment says Durusu Fidancılık received 27 tenders from 2019 to 2025, while its partner company, Tilia Peyzaj, received three high-value tenders. Prosecutors say Bayraktar’s continued work with Ağaç A.Ş. after the alleged payment shows “intent to bribe.”
The owner of Istanbul Botanik, suspect Bünyamin Durukan, also stated that he faced bribery demands to receive payments. Durukan said his sales to Ağaç A.Ş. between 2021 and 2024 reached TL 25-30 million in 2024 and that delayed payments caused heavy losses. He said that one week before the election, Polat told him “money was being requested from above” and that payments would be made only if he provided $30,000. According to Durukan, Ağaç A.Ş. transferred TL 1.5 million to him before the election, and he then allegedly gave Polat $15,000 in cash in April 2024.
Aleaddin Vardar, owner of Çağlayan Tarım, said he was owed TL 93.7 million by Ağaç A.Ş. at the end of 2023. He alleged that Ali Sukas asked him for $30,000 to support the 2024 local elections. Vardar said he received a total of TL 65 million in two payments and gave Polat $30,000 in cash about 10 days later. He also said that after he received another TL 20 million in May 2024, Sukas demanded an additional $10,000, which he delivered in person.
Suspect Ahmet Sarı told prosecutors that Sukas requested vehicles for his spouse’s parliamentary campaign. Sarı said he complied because Ağaç A.Ş. and its affiliates owed him large sums. His attorney later submitted license plates for nine vehicles allegedly used in the campaign. The indictment says the PTS (vehicle tracking) data and images confirm the cars were used in election activities. It concludes that the nine vehicles constituted benefits passed to “the system” structure of what prosecutors call the “Imamoğlu criminal organization.”
