A Turkish lawmaker, Mustafa Sarıgül, and his family face allegations of laundering 600 million euros in bribes, prosecutors say in an expanding investigation. The probe, tied to Sarıgül’s time as mayor of Istanbul’s Şişli district, centres on claims that zoning-related “windfalls” were funnelled through the Altınbaş group into property and luxury businesses, with arrests reaching 19 suspects. According to Daily Sabah, investigators also linked the Sarıgül case to another operation in which top figures at Altınbaş were arrested last week. Sofu Altınbaş was detained in connection with funds turmoil involving several businesspeople, while other detainees in the Sarıgül investigation included Altınbaş, Titanic Hotels Deputy Chair Temel Aygün, Şişli municipal bureaucrats and businesspeople. The investigation began after two German businessmen accused Sarıgül and his family of defrauding them over a joint investment deal. Prosecutors said those businessmen were allegedly threatened after they provided audio recordings about the arrangement to journalist Murat Ağırel. A secret witness testimony, codenamed “A3M2LK48,” described how the alleged laundering worked during Sarıgül’s Şişli mayoral term. The witness claims that money used for laundering was transmitted through a 2008 marriage between Emir Sarıgül and an Altınbaş heiress, and then returned to the Sarıgül family during 2019 divorce proceedings, when the figure of 600 million euros emerged. Sarıgül and his family are also accused of using public authority to promise a 1 billion euro fund to the German businessmen. The case includes detentions of Sarıgül’s sons, Emir Sarıgül and Ömer Sarıgül, earlier in the month, while Sarıgül was described as immune from investigation due to parliamentary immunity. Authorities also moved against people linked to an alleged effort to obtain a “manipulation report” from the National Criminal Bureau in exchange for $200,000 concerning leaked footage. With the latest arrests, suspects in custody rose to 19, including people remanded and sent to prison, while Ömer Demir and Atakan Eren were placed under house arrest. Sarıgül has denied the authenticity of leaked video footage and reportedly produced a report saying it was fake. The investigation is ongoing, with 19 suspects currently in custody or under house arrest as prosecutors continue to build the money-laundering case.