Deputy Minister Ömer Fatih Sayan Deletes Diplomas Amid E-Devlet Forgery Scandal

A growing forgery scandal involving Turkey’s e-Government system (E-Devlet) is intensifying scrutiny on high-ranking officials — most notably, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ömer Fatih Sayan. The official, known for previously listing six diplomas, including two master’s and two PhDs, has now quietly removed several academic claims from his personal website.

Academic Credentials Vanish from Sayan’s Website

Ömer Fatih Sayan had once included four separate undergraduate degrees from Anadolu University in his publicly available CV. However, those details have recently been deleted from his personal site, even though the same academic records remain visible on the official website of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

According to reports from Halk TV, Sayan had previously listed 10 university degrees, including multiple credentials from Anadolu University. Now, visitors to his personal page will no longer find these undergraduate entries — a move that raises eyebrows amid growing concerns about academic transparency in public office.

Forgery Ring Mimicked Digital Signatures Across Government Agencies

The revelations come on the heels of a major breach: a criminal network allegedly infiltrated the E-Devlet platform, using forged e-signatures to impersonate high-level officials. The suspects reportedly targeted institutions such as the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the Ministry of National Education, and even student affairs departments of 15 universities.

They are also believed to have mimicked the digital identities of top officials, including the President of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) — a post Sayan has held in the past.

Public Criticism Mounts Over CV Claims

Journalist Deniz Zeyrek of Nefes Gazetesi criticized the situation, saying, “How could you overlook these fraudsters with a CV like this?”, pointing to the alleged mismatch between claimed qualifications and verifiable records.

The fact that some of Sayan’s academic credentials have been removed — while others remain publicly listed on government portals — has only added to the confusion, fueling calls for a more rigorous vetting process of officials’ educational backgrounds.