The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed a case against 16 defendants, including Buket Özgünlü, the president of the Paws Clinging to Life Association, requesting prison sentences of up to 12 years and three months on charges of “money laundering from criminal activity.”
According to the indictment accepted by the Ankara 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendants, including Özgünlü, are accused of maintaining financial ties with companies that produce and trade products for street animals, such as animal food and health products. These activities were allegedly linked to their work in civil society concerning street animals.
The indictment alleges that the defendants misused the donated funds sent to the association, using the money for personal enrichment and asset acquisition, rather than for the association’s intended purposes. The funds were transferred to personal accounts, and fake invoices were issued, falsely showing purchases that had never been made, resulting in financial damage to the association.
The indictment further details that the board of directors made unauthorized “honorarium” payments to themselves without a prior decision by the general assembly. Additionally, it is revealed that the defendants used the legal identity of the association and animal food companies to launder illicit proceeds through banking transactions and the purchase of movable and immovable properties.
The Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) report highlights that funds in the association’s bank accounts were not used for its activities, but instead, were transferred to the personal accounts of Özgünlü and other defendants.
The defendants are accused of causing a public loss of TL 18,627,848 ($689,230.38).