Turkey: Ex-minister arrested in a major fund manipulation scandal

Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, a former deputy chair of President Erdogan's party, was arrested in a major funds scandal. The opposition claims Sayan Kaya and her husband cashed in shares worth millions in the illegal scheme.

A former Turkish minister and senior official of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party was placed in detention pending trial on Friday as part of an investigation into a multi-billion-dollar investment fund scandal.

An Istanbul court remanded Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya in custody on charges of "violating the capital markets law and membership of an organization established for the purpose of committing crimes," state-run news agency Anadolu reported.  Her husband was released on condition that he regularly report to police.

Kaya served as family minister from 2016 to 2018 and until recently was a deputy chair of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).  

She resigned on September 26 following allegations by the Yeni Party, the main opposition party, that she had made huge profits from an investment scandal that hit the headlines earlier that month. 

Yeni Party Chairman Zeynel Emre has accused Sayan Kaya and her husband of receiving 2.17 billion lira ($43 million, €38.4 million) after reportedly investing 163 million lira in one of the funds, then selling their shares shortly before suspected price manipulation by investment funds triggered a stock market crisis that led the financial regulator to dissolve131 funds.

The couple denied any wrongdoing but have transferred some of the said money to an account designated by the banking regulators.

Opposition holds the government responsible

Erdogan's government has been scuffling with the blowback from the investment fund scandal that broke out in September. Prosecutors are examining allegations of widespread market manipulation affecting the savings of nearly half a million investors.

More than 430 people are under investigation over "suspected market manipulation and insider trading," including 112 who have been arrested as part of the scandal, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said this week. 

Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Ozel claimed that Erdogan was ultimately responsible for the scandal and called on the president either to resign or to take the country to elections.

Main opposition leader Ozgür Ozel said the members of the committee set up by Erdogan to deal with the fund crisis had themselves been detained as part of the same investigations. Mentioning Gurlek by name, Ozel argued that Erdogan should "take a closer look at those close to him."