ONE of Turkey’s largest television news broadcasters has been confiscated by the state as part of a fraud, tax evasion and money laundering investigation, media reported today.

Haberturk was one of 121 companies belonging to Can Holding to be seized and transferred to the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund, the Anadolu Agency and others said.

Broadcaster Show TV was also confiscated.

Arrest warrants were issued for 10 people, including senior Can Holding executives. The group includes companies across a wide range of sectors including media, education, energy, hotels, health, construction and logistics.

In a statement, the Kucukcekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul accused companies under Can Holding of being involved in fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

Investigators had discovered that “large amounts of money of unknown origin were entered via companies operating under Can Holding” which were transferred between companies to conceal the origin, the statement said.

Prosecutors said forged documents were also allegedly used to reduce tax liability and Can Holding’s activities were “directly financed with criminal revenues.”

Most media outlets in Turkey, including Haberturk, largely support the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The broadcaster was operating normally today.

Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 press freedom index ranked Turkey 158th of 180 countries, saying that some 90 per cent of media in Turkey was under government influence.