A remarkable new statement was included in the file in the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the Friends Association. İlker Çetin, who stated that he had been Haluk Levent's official driver for about 3.5 years, claimed in his statement to the police that his bank accounts were used for money transfers worth millions of liras in line with Haluk Levent's instructions. Çetin included many remarkable allegations in the investigation file, from money transfers exceeding 210 million liras to large amounts of cash carried in Ankara, from instructions received via WhatsApp to the purchase of casino tokens worth millions of liras in Cyprus.
The statements of Haluk Levent's former driver İlker Çetin, who testified within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the Friends Association, were revealed. İlker Çetin, who was Haluk Levent's official driver for about 3.5 years, admitted in his statement at the Financial Crimes Department of the Istanbul Police Department on July 14, 2026 that the large money transfers made through bank accounts were made in accordance with the instructions of Haluk Levent.
Çetin stated that Haluk Levent did not have a bank account or credit card, and that the money to be sent to different people was deposited into his own account and then transferred to the accounts determined by Levent.
In his statement, Çetin said, "I was sending the money coming into my account to the people he told me to do," and stated that instructions regarding money transfers were sent to him via WhatsApp.
Çetin claimed that Haluk Levent also used the accounts belonging to Emrah Gödeliner, Zafer Yay and Yeliz Kaya, and argued that he did not gain any personal benefit from the activities in his account.
According to the account movements examined by MASAK, it was stated that 10 million 124 thousand 766 liras were sent from Yeliz Kaya's accounts to İlker Çetin's accounts in 250 transactions between January 13, 2024 and April 24, 2026.
It was reported that between the same dates, 210 million 336 thousand 68 liras were transferred from İlker Çetin's accounts to Yeliz Kaya's accounts in 45 separate transactions.
When asked about the money movements in question, Çetin admitted that the transfers were carried out in accordance with Haluk Levent's instructions. Claiming that he did not know the source of the money and the purpose for which it was used, Çetin said, "I was acting upon Haluk Levent's requests and orders."
Haluk Levent's driver, Çetin, stated that he received a large amount of cash in Ankara and deposited this money into Yeliz Kaya's bank account.
Stating that a location was sent to him by Haluk Levent, Çetin said that he went to the specified address and took the money he received from the individuals to the bank.
Arguing that he did not know who the money came from and what its source was, Çetin stated that although he was disturbed by the money movements, he did not ask questions for fear of losing his job.
İlker Çetin noted that instructions regarding the transactions carried out through his account were included in WhatsApp correspondence. Çetin said, "I was suspicious, but I did not know the details. I kept the entire correspondence as evidence."
Stating that he handed over the mobile phone he was using to the police units along with his password, Çetin said that correspondence regarding money transfers was found on his phone.
One of the most striking parts of Çetin's statement was the allegations regarding Haluk Levent's casino transactions in Cyprus.
Çetin, who said that Haluk Levent gambled when he went to Cyprus, stated that a casino token was received for Levent through his own bank account.
Çetin said that the amounts that caught his attention in the transactions in question were over 1 million lira, and some payments reached approximately 2 million lira.
In the MASAK investigation, it was stated that a total of 6 million 502 thousand 59 liras were transferred from Zafer Yay's accounts to İlker Çetin's accounts in 393 transactions.
It was reported that 2 million 120 thousand 271 liras were sent from Çetin's accounts to Zafer Yay's accounts in 36 transactions.
Çetin argued that these money movements were related to vehicles, travel and other expenses, and that some money was sent to other people on the instructions of Haluk Levent.
In the MASAK report, it was stated that 2 million 806 thousand 600 liras were sent from Alper Çelik's accounts to İlker Çetin's accounts in 31 transactions.
It was reported that a total of 8 million 355 thousand 900 liras were transferred from İlker Çetin's accounts to Alper Çelik in 287 transactions.
Çetin claimed that Haluk Levent sent money to Alper Çelik using his own account. Claiming that he did not know the source of the money, Çetin said that he wrote the phrases "debt refund" or "within the knowledge of Haluk Levent" in the transfer statements.
İlker Çetin stated that he did not accept the accusations against him and argued that the money movements in his account belonged to Haluk Levent.
Stating that he was not a member of any criminal organization and had no connection with the Friends Association, Çetin said, "I was only Haluk Levent's driver. The transactions made through my account belong to Haluk Levent."
Çetin's lawyer also stated that his client was an insured employee who acted in accordance with the instructions of his employer, that he did not gain personal benefit from money movements, and that he handed over all the records on his phone to the police units.