- Turkish authorities targeted forty-nine suspects in a massive six-province visa appointment fraud operation.
- The network allegedly used bots to defraud over forty-one thousand people seeking Schengen visas.
- Investigators uncovered financial activity exceeding fifty-nine million dollars across several linked bank accounts.
Turkish authorities launched a six-province operation Tuesday against 49 suspects accused of using automated software to seize visa appointments and resell them through consultancy firms. Investigators said the network defrauded more than 41,000 people and collected approximately 918 million Turkish Liras, about $19 million USD.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office coordinated the investigation. The Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command carried out simultaneous raids at 63 addresses in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa, and Izmir.
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Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced the operation on X and said investigators had identified an organized structure operating under the cover of visa consultancy businesses. He described the alleged scheme as both a financial fraud and an improper use of applicants' personal information.
"Judicial procedures were launched to apprehend 49 suspects. they used bots to access the online appointment systems of consulates and authorized intermediary institutions, securing appointments in bulk and effectively preventing citizens from obtaining appointments directly. We will continue to take action against structures believed to cause financial harm to citizens, seek illicit gains, and unlawfully use personal data."
The appointments primarily involved Schengen visas. The suspects allegedly locked large numbers of slots before ordinary applicants could reach them, then offered access at inflated prices.
Investigators also examined money moving through bank accounts linked to the network. Between January 2024 and July 2026, total financial activity in those accounts exceeded 2.84 billion Turkish Liras, or $59.49 million USD.
The alleged conduct extended beyond resale. Authorities accused the suspects of failing to refund fees for services they did not deliver and transferring applicants' personal data into private digital systems.
The operation covered six provinces and 63 addresses
| Detail | Finding |
|---|---|
| Suspects targeted | 49 |
| People allegedly defrauded | More than 41,000 |
| Raided addresses | 63 |
| Provinces involved | Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa, and Izmir |
| Main appointment type | Schengen visas |
| Money collected from victims | Approximately 918 million Turkish Liras, approx. $19 million USD |
| Linked-account activity | More than 2.84 billion Turkish Liras, $59.49 million USD |
The appointment system allegations address a problem that has frustrated Turkish applicants seeking travel to European countries. Automated booking tools can take appointments in bulk, leaving applicants dependent on intermediaries that charge more than the normal process.
The investigation also raises a data-protection concern. Applicants seeking visas typically provide identifying and financial information as part of their applications. Authorities said the network moved that information to private digital systems without lawful authorization.
A separate U.S. case involved Turkish applicants
The Turkish raids came five days after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Turkish national Melih Gogebakan in Newark, New Jersey, on August 6, 2026. U.S. authorities accused him of posing as a high-ranking “Trump Organization insider” while defrauding Turkish nationals seeking American investor visas.
That case involved alleged deception around U.S. investor immigration, while the Istanbul investigation centers on appointment access for Schengen visas. The two matters involve different authorities and alleged schemes.
U.S. officials have also described a tougher approach to immigration fraud in 2026. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on July 17, 2026:
"By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the U.S. is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within its borders. This final rule ensures that foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home."
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said on July 28, 2026:
"America's asylum system exists to protect individuals who genuinely fear persecution and this rule will help ensure that resources are directed to the timely adjudication of those claims instead of to those seeking to use the system as a loophole."
The U.S. administration has expanded “Operation Twin Shield,” with increased scrutiny of investor EB-5 and employment EB-3 visa applications from Türkiye. The research also identifies heightened vetting of Turkish nationals by U.S. and European authorities in response to fraudulent consultancy networks.
Turkish prosecutors' case now turns on the evidence gathered from the raids, financial records, appointment systems, and private data repositories. The justice minister said authorities would continue pursuing structures that seek illicit gains or misuse personal data.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
