Turkey arrests 32 in citizenship fraud ring using fake property reports

Turkish authorities have dismantled a criminal network accused of orchestrating a large-scale fraud to grant Turkish citizenship. The operation, stemming from an investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, targeted individuals who obtained citizenship through property acquisition by using fake expert reports.

Investigators discovered that the organization facilitated the process by circumventing legal requirements for foreign currency inflow. They allegedly used intermediary companies or the sellers' own funds to complete property transactions, then submitted falsified, inflated appraisal reports. This scheme violated the Turkish Citizenship Law, enabling 687 foreign nationals to acquire citizenship unlawfully and generating illicit profits.

The scale of the fraud is significant, with the total value of improperly conducted transactions estimated at 2.5 billion Turkish lira. In response, authorities launched simultaneous operations across 16 provinces, apprehending 72 suspects on charges including organized crime, migrant smuggling, fraud against public institutions, and document forgery. Assets, including properties, a hotel, vehicles, a yacht, bank accounts, and companies, were seized, and administrators were appointed to the affected companies.