Turkey widens $18B fund probe as fallout hits ruling party, free speech
More than 50 people have been detained in connection with the investigation into the fund scandal, the ruling party’s deputy chair has resigned, and the X accounts of dozens of journalists and economists have been blocked.
ANKARA — Turkish authorities on Monday detained seven more suspects as Turkey widened a probe into an investment fund scandal involving assets worth more than $18 billion, with the fallout prompting the resignation of a senior ruling party official and the blocking of dozens of X accounts belonging to journalists, economists and news organizations.
What happened: Turkish police have detained seven more people linked to financial services company Destek Holding and shipbuilder Ozata Gemicilik, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.
Those detained include Ozata Denizcilik executive Altug Kantarci, Destek executive Ozgur Akayoglu and Destek official Kerim Tosun, according to Turkey’s private Demiroren News Agency.
Both Ozata Denizcilik and Destek are among the companies whose shares prosecutors allege were artificially inflated by investments from the funds.
