The Mayor of Istanbul is accused of massive corruption involving 3.8 billion dollars and facing up to 2,400 years in prison

Turkish prosecutors accuse the incarcerated Istanbul mayor of leading a sprawling corruption and organized crime network, with alleged public losses topping $3.8 billion and potential prison time of more than 2,000 years, in a case that has heightened tensions ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Turkish prosecutors accused Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been incarcerated since March, of 143 corruption and organized crime offenses, including bribery, money laundering, and fraud against public institutions, according to the state-owned Anadolu Agency. If convicted, he could face 849 to 2,430 years in prison.

Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek told media that the indictment is complete and a lawsuit has been filed with the Istanbul High Criminal Court. The case names 402 suspects, including 105 individuals and İmamoğlu himself, who are already in detention. The indictment described İmamoğlu as heading a crime network likened to “the tentacles of an octopus.”

Anadolu reported that prosecutors have calculated the alleged public damage at 160 billion Turkish lira ($3.8 billion) and $24 million over 10 years.

İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure, has been widely seen as a potential rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2028 presidential election. His detention triggered widespread protests, hundreds of arrests, and a police crackdown.

İmamoğlu, writing on his X account, called the investigation unlawful. “The indictment you wrote is nothing but a string of lies, fabricated by intimidating people, taking them hostage, and forcing them to slander others under duress,” he said. 

He added that prosecutors produced the indictment after 237 days “as a result of an unlawful investigation conducted with slander, conspiracies, attacks and harassment unprecedented in the judiciary.”

Özgür Özel, chairman of İmamoğlu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), criticized the case on X, calling it political. “This case is not legal, it is entirely political. Its purpose is to stop the CHP, which came first in the last elections, and to block its presidential candidate,” he wrote.