ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities on Thursday seized one of the country's largest television news broadcasters, Haberturk, along with Show TV, as part of a wide-ranging fraud, tax evasion and money-laundering investigation into Can Holding.
Anadolu Agency and other state-run outlets reported that 121 companies belonging to the group were confiscated and transferred to the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund. The Kucukcekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul said arrest warrants were issued for 10 people, including senior Can Holding executives.
Prosecutors said an investigation indicated companies under Can Holding were involved in fraud, tax evasion and laundering the proceeds of crime. Investigators uncovered “large amounts of money of unknown origin” that were routed through companies in the group and transferred between them to conceal their source, the statement said. The probe also alleges forged documents were used to reduce tax liability and that some activities were “directly financed with criminal revenues.”
Can Holding operates across a broad range of sectors, including media, education, energy, hotels, health, construction and logistics, according to reports. Officials did not immediately release the names of the people for whom arrest warrants were issued or provide details on the specific allegations against individual executives.
Haberturk, like a majority of Turkish media outlets, is broadly supportive of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, and the broadcaster was reported to be operating normally Thursday morning. The seizure of the outlets comes amid longstanding concerns about press freedom and government influence in Turkey; Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 press freedom index and has said roughly 90% of media in Turkey are under government influence.
The transfer of assets to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund places the seized companies under state control while the investigation proceeds. Prosecutors said the measures were part of efforts to recover and secure assets tied to the alleged crimes. No immediate comment was available from representatives of Can Holding or the detained parties.
The case continues to develop as authorities pursue the criminal probe and as courts consider measures related to the seized companies and any charges brought against individuals named in the warrants.