Further shocking revelations have emerged in Turkey as Ali Yeşildağ, part of an influential family and a former associate of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, implicated Bilal Erdoğan, the president’s son, in a web of corruption in the construction industry, in the fourth installment of an expected seven-part series of exposés that was dropped on Monday by investigative journalist Cevheri Güven.
In his latest video, Yeşildağ outlines the fast growth of the construction sector under Justice and Development Party (AKP) governance. He alleges that Bilal Erdoğan, acting for his father, has a 50 percent stake in construction companies such as Yapı Yapı Construction, which gets lucrative contracts from the government.
The video also delves into the controversial business operations and alleged illegal activities of two Yeşildağ brothers, providing an in-depth background to their involvement in Turkey’s political and business landscapes.
Yeşildağ brothers Zeki and Hasan are said to hold significant shares in lucrative ventures, with their capital foray beginning in 1994 and expanding to include construction and media companies.
In the video Yeşildağ examines the past dealings of his own family, claiming that their substantial wealth was initially built on criminal activities, including kidnapping and embezzlement.
Yeşildağ also brings to light shocking claims of criminal activities targeting figures like Faruk Yalçın, a former NATO contractor, and a range of deceitful practices targeting unsuspecting individuals for financial gain.
The Yeşildağ family has a longstanding relationship with Erdoğan. Hasan Yeşildağ, the eldest brother, served as Erdoğan’s bodyguard during the latter’s imprisonment in 1999. The family’s Etiler Ulus Cafe is known as a popular meeting spot for the AKP government and state bureaucracy as well as the Erdoğan family.
The video series, released ahead of the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections on Sunday, could potentially deal a heavy blow to Erdoğan’s administration, which is currently grappling with an economic crisis and high inflation.
The previous videos have already sparked public debate, with allegations of corruption and illegal activities involving President Erdoğan and his inner circle, including an alleged personal fortune of the president that amounts to several hundred billion dollars in ill-gotten gains.