Turkish officials arrested over extortion from Constantinople Church

The Greek Orthodox church and school named after Panayia Aya Dimitriou Profiti Ilias in Istanbul. Photo: Sabah

On June 24, 2026, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul’s Adalar district and several senior municipal officials in a corruption case linked to alleged extortion from a Greek Orthodox foundation on Büyükada Island, Daily Sabah reported.

The investigation is being conducted by the prosecutor’s office on Istanbul’s Anatolian side. According to investigators, representatives of the Adalar municipality, which is governed by Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party, demanded money for issuing permits and completing administrative procedures.

Prosecutors allege that officials received nearly 3 million Turkish liras from representatives of the Orthodox foundation – about $65,000. According to the investigation, however, the religious institution was legally exempt from such municipal fees.

Case materials state that Deputy Mayor Hüseyin Yılmaz pressured foundation representative Vasil Poridis, demanding payments for a building occupancy permit. Investigators also cite recordings of conversations in which Yılmaz and Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat allegedly discussed receiving the money.

Forty-two people were detained in the case, including the mayor and two of his deputies. After questioning, the court ordered 35 suspects to be arrested, while four others were released under judicial supervision. The investigation materials also mention issues involving other religious institutions in the district, including the historic Halki Theological School.

As the UOJ previously reported, Trump and the European Union secured Erdoğan’s agreement to reopen the Halki Theological School.

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