Turkish Mayor Faces 2,000-Year Sentence in Corruption Scandal

The Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, faces charges of leading a corruption network resulting in state losses of 160 billion lira. Prosecutor Akin Gurlek has filed an indictment that alleges Imamoglu orchestrated bribery and fraud, though he denies these politically charged accusations.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have indicted Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, accusing him of leading a massive corruption network. Prosecutors demand a sentence exceeding 2,000 years, as Imamoglu allegedly orchestrated a scheme costing the state 160 billion lira ($3.8 billion).

Prosecutor Akin Gurlek outlined the charges against Imamoglu and 401 others, asserting they formed a criminal organization involved in bribery, fraud, and bid-rigging. Imamoglu, a key political adversary to President Tayyip Erdogan, denies the accusations, calling them politically motivated.

Though the allegations could not be independently verified, the indictment includes evidence from financial investigations and claims of coercion for bribes. Imamoglu has been jailed since March, facing separate charges, while the government refutes claims that the trials are politically driven.

(With inputs from agencies.)