Turkey revokes citizenship of over 6,000 people in major citizenship-by-investment fraud crackdown

Dubai: Turkey has revoked the citizenship of 6,134 people who obtained it through the country’s citizenship-by-investment programme, according to Turkish media reports, amid a widening crackdown on fraudulent property transactions and applications.

The action affected investors as well as family members who had acquired citizenship through their applications. Reports said 5,391 people linked to 1,150 investors lost their citizenship after authorities identified irregularities or fraudulent documents in their applications.

A further 743 people linked to 263 investors had their citizenship withdrawn following subsequent security and public-order assessments, according to the reports.

The crackdown follows investigations into schemes that allegedly manipulated Turkey’s citizenship-by-investment programme through inflated property valuations, fictitious transactions and falsified documents.

Turkish authorities have previously uncovered organised networks accused of helping foreign investors obtain citizenship without making the investment required by law. In one major investigation, prosecutors said fraudulent property sales and inflated appraisal reports were used alongside fictitious money transfers, depriving Turkey of foreign currency that should have entered the country under the programme.

Police operations have targeted property agents and others suspected of facilitating fraudulent applications.

Turkey allows foreign nationals to apply for citizenship through several types of qualifying investment. Under the property route, an applicant can qualify by purchasing real estate worth at least $400,000 (Dh1,469,000) and undertaking not to sell it for at least three years. Other routes include investments in fixed assets and investment funds, subject to specified thresholds and conditions.

The fraud investigations have focused partly on allegations that relatively inexpensive properties were given artificially inflated valuations to make them appear to meet the $400,000 threshold. Investigators have also examined sham sales and financial transactions allegedly designed to give the appearance that the required investment had been made.

Under Turkish citizenship law, citizenship obtained on the basis of false declarations or the concealment of material facts can be annulled. Legal analysis of the investment programme also notes that failure to maintain qualifying investments for the required period can result in annulment under Turkey’s citizenship legislation.

The latest reported revocations mark a significant tightening of scrutiny of a programme that has attracted thousands of foreign investors seeking Turkish citizenship through proper