
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirms investigation into referee assignments and scoring processes
Ferhat Gundogdu, president of the Turkish refereeing body, and seven others have been arrested amid a corruption investigation into referee assignments, scoring, and classification processes.
AI-generated summary
In November 2025, the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees following an investigation into betting accounts.
The head of the Turkish referees' body has been arrested as part of a police investigation into corruption.
Turkish justice minister Akin Gurlek said the investigation focused on "claims regarding interference in the formation of referee classifications, assignments, scoring and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations".
Ferhat Gundogdu, the president of the refereeing body, his vice-president and another five people are those arrested.
Gurlek said police also searched homes, workplaces and offices.
"We will resolutely continue our fight for clean football so that allegations damaging trust in Turkish football are brought to light, those responsible are held accountable before the law, and football is associated with the effort, competition and sportsmanship on the pitch," Gurlek said.
In November 2025 the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found hundreds of professional match officials in the country had betting accounts.
Some 29 people were arrested in the sprawling scandal, including 14 footballers.
A Paris court sentenced members of a family clan to prison terms of several years. They forced minors to pickpocket in Paris and Disneyland, abused them when their income was low, and thus financed a luxurious lifestyle.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs detained 3,810 people who shared provocative posts on the internet following the school incidents in Şanlıurfa, Kahramanmaraş and Manisa. While 304 people were arrested, access was blocked for 12 thousand 141 URL addresses.
A 34-year-old real estate agent from Ratingen was sentenced to four years and two months in prison by the Düsseldorf Regional Court. He traded 100 kilograms of cannabis and weapons. The accusation of trafficking twelve tons of cocaine turned out to be fabricated.

Melis Sandal and her husband Mustafa Sandal, who were asked to take asset measures in the money laundering investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, denied the allegations of their escape to Dubai and financial irregularities on social media.

Hong Kong police have received over 1,500 reports of suspicious credit card transactions totaling HK$30 million linked to the new iPhone 18 Pro. Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming stated that Apple's online security measures failed to require verification for these orders.
In Rostock, fraudsters caused damage to doctors' practices and pharmacies by over 118,000 euros. Using fake bank letters with QR codes and deceptively genuine calls, victims were tricked into issuing TAN approvals for unauthorized transfers.