Religious Affairs Ministry Official Under Investigation After Viral Video

Ahmet Daştanbek, the representative of the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı) in Mecca, has been placed under investigation after a viral video of him counting stacks of US dollars surfaced on popular social networks. He now faces allegations of corruption and bribery, with users claiming that the money he was counting amounts to $270,000 (roughly 10.9 million TL).

The video shows two people in an office, with Daştanbek sitting across the table, carefully counting the cash as the other person records. Towards the end of the footage, Daştanbek points at the phone and asks whether he is being recorded. The individual repeatedly denies it and questions the sudden panic. Daştanbek then reassures the recorder that he is not panicked and returns to counting the money, stating, “There is nothing.”

Clips from the viral video. Credits: Instagram

Critics on social media alleged that the sum in the video is $270,000, and was collected as bribes for encouraging pilgrims to stay in certain institutions during periods of religious holidays in Mecca, mostly to maximize their profit.

Following the viral video’s circulation, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an official investigation. This was soon followed by a statement from Ahmet Daştanbek, who denied the bribery allegations and claimed that the amount in question was not $270,000 but only $10,000. The money was supposedly donated by a philanthropist in 2023 through U.Turizm to be used for assembling Ramadan aid packages via a company called Hacer Food, and subsequently distributed to those need. Reportedly, this did end up happening, with the remaining funds being used as donations to other charities. Daştanbek further claimed that the money was being counted manually because the accounting unit was closed for the day and there was an emphasis on ensuring the funds were accurate. Daştanbek added that he was not initially concerned about being recorded despite it being made without his permission, as he believed there was no harm being done.

In addition to the investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Religious Affairs Directorate also confirmed that a comprehensive internal inspection will take place.

At the end of his statement, Daştanbek emphasized that the comments being made about the video were contrary to moral and ethical values, claiming that they not only damaged his personal standing but also misrepresented the work done by the Diyanet (Religious Affairs Ministry).

Regardless of the explanation, the Religious Affairs Ministry remains under intense public scrutiny and criticism. The backlash is caused by two main reasons. First, frequent accusations of corruption, lack of transparency and bribery often occur in the ministry, yet, go unchecked without accountability. Second, the department has shown strong support for the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) even though according to the constitution, it must act as a neutral body.

The budget for the religious ministry is at an undeniably large figure in 2025, at 130.1 billion Turkish Lira (roughly 3.2 billion USD). This makes it significantly larger than the budgets of other essential ministries like the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Energy and Natural Resources, Culture and Tourism, Industry and Technology. In addition to its financial size, it also employs 143,429 personnel, including 644 international staff members, and supervises nearly 90,000 mosques within Türkiye and internationally.

At the moment, Ahmet Daştanbek’s investigation is ongoing with no reports as to how the ruling will proceed. The allegations presented in the video, as well as those refuted in Daştanbek’s statement, have yet to be confirmed or disproven. However, the video and the public backlash act as strong signals that the country requires more transparent religious institutions and greater accountability from officials in such scenarios.

Edited by: Leyla Hacıoğlu