Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into a top official from Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in Mecca after a video surfaced online showing him counting bundles of US dollars, prompting widespread allegations of bribery and corruption, Turkish media reported over the weekend.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Sunday that it had launched an investigation following the release of footage allegedly showing Ahmet Daştanbek, the Diyanet’s senior representative in Mecca, handling large sums of cash.
Social media users have claimed the money totals $270,000 and is linked to bribes received in exchange for steering pilgrims toward certain hotels during Diyanet-organized hajj programs.
“Our office has launched an investigation ex officio following reports in certain media outlets about a video that allegedly shows Ahmet Daştanbek counting money, prompting allegations of bribery,” the prosecutor’s office said in a written statement.
In response, Daştanbek released a statement on social media on Monday, denying the bribery allegations. He claimed the money shown in the video amounted to $10,000, not $270,000, and said it was charitable aid intended for the distribution of food parcels and alms to needy individuals in Mecca during Ramadan.
“The money was sent via U. Turizm in 2023 by a philanthropist who wanted to provide Ramadan food packages and alms to the needy in Mecca,” Daştanbek wrote, adding that the funds were recorded by the Diyanet’s then-accounting officer and documented in a formal report sent to Ankara.
He said the aid was transferred to a local company in Mecca, food packages were distributed and a portion of the funds was handed out as charity.
Despite his explanation, the footage has sparked a firestorm on social media and renewed criticism of the Diyanet, one of Turkey’s most powerful state institutions. A source within the organization told the Birgün daily that internal rumors about Daştanbek’s involvement in bribery schemes had circulated for years without being investigated.
“The key question is: Who protected this man and allowed him to remain in Mecca for 20 years?” the source said, alleging a lack of transparency in the Diyanet’s foreign operations and warning that the video may be only “a small detail” in a broader web of corruption.
The Diyanet has yet to issue a comprehensive public statement but has confirmed that an internal investigation is underway.
The directorate, founded in 1924, oversees religious services in Turkey and abroad, including the content of sermons at more than 80,000 mosques. It has come under frequent criticism for promoting the policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), despite being constitutionally required to remain neutral in political matters as part of Turkey’s secular framework.
According to the Court of Accounts, the Diyanet employed over 140,000 staff members as of 2023. Its budget for 2025 is approximately 130.2 billion Turkish lira ($3.32 billion), making it larger than many government ministries.