Ex-Minister Blackmail Probe Suspended After Complaint Withdrawn

A blackmail investigation involving former Environment Minister Mehmet Özhaseki has led to the suspension of the public prosecution after the complainant withdrew his complaint and the main suspect issued a statement of remorse.

The decision was announced by the Kayseri Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı, which has been overseeing the case since July 18, 2025. Although prosecutors concluded that sufficient suspicion existed to file charges, legal provisions and the parties’ positions led to a five-year postponement of the public case.

Allegations of 1 Billion TL Video Blackmail

The investigation began when Özhaseki filed a criminal complaint alleging that a 40-year-old woman identified as E.T. had attempted to blackmail him for 1 billion TL.

In his petition to prosecutors, Özhaseki stated that he had initially met E.T. during a condolence visit following her spouse’s passing and later at the opening of a women’s clothing store she operated. According to his statement, E.T. contacted him approximately one month prior to the complaint and requested a meeting.

Özhaseki said they met near the Seyit Burhanettin Tomb in Kayseri, where E.T. allegedly claimed to possess compromising video footage involving him and demanded payment. He denied acknowledging the authenticity of any such material. According to his testimony, E.T. suggested that artificial intelligence could be used to generate such content.

Messages Sent to Adviser

The former minister also stated that E.T. later sent messages to his long-time adviser, identified as H.K. The adviser, who said he had worked with Özhaseki for nearly 30 years, submitted messages and audio recordings to the prosecutor’s office.

In his testimony, H.K. alleged that the messages contained insinuations of a personal relationship and warning-like language. The submitted digital materials were added to the case file during the evidentiary review.

Suspects Deny Charges

During the investigation, E.T. denied the blackmail allegations, stating that she did not possess any such footage. Phone traffic (HTS) records were examined, and prosecutors determined that E.T. had allegedly acted together with a relative identified as B.E.A. Both suspects rejected the accusations.

E.T. was arrested and reportedly spent approximately two and a half months in custody. On September 24, 2025, she applied to provide an additional statement to prosecutors, expressing remorse and requesting that favorable legal provisions be applied.

Complaint Withdrawn, Prosecution Deferred

In a subsequent development, Özhaseki’s legal representative submitted a petition stating that the complaint had been withdrawn, citing E.T.’s statements and her family’s circumstances.

In its formal assessment, the prosecutor’s office stated that sufficient suspicion had been established to file charges, asserting that the suspects had acted in unity of thought and action to allegedly harm Özhaseki’s honor and reputation for personal gain.

However, given that the alleged offense carries a maximum prison sentence of three years or less, combined with the suspect’s expression of remorse and the withdrawal of the complaint, prosecutors decided on October 17, 2025, to defer filing the public case for five years under applicable criminal procedure provisions.

If no similar offense is committed during this period and legal conditions are met, the case may ultimately be dismissed.

Who Is Mehmet Özhaseki?

Mehmet Özhaseki has held several prominent public offices over the past three decades. He served as mayor of Melikgazi from 1994 to 1998 and later as mayor of the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality from 1998 to 2015. In 2015, he was elected to parliament as a member of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

He served as Minister of Environment and Urbanization from 2016 to 2018 and returned to the cabinet in 2023 as Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change. On July 1, 2024, he resigned from his ministerial post, citing health reasons.

The decision to suspend prosecution concludes, for now, a case that drew public attention due to the scale of the alleged blackmail demand and the involvement of a former cabinet member. Legal monitoring will continue throughout the five-year deferment period.