Gulen’s mansion in US ‘financed’ by Turkish firm

ISTANBUL

The U.S. mansion of Fetullah Gulen, who is held responsible for July 15 coup attempt, was purchased in 2005 by a Turkish businessman, according to the head of appointed trustee of Kaynak Holding.

Kaynak Holding has been accused of harboring links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) led by Gulen, who has lived in a self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999.

Board Chairman of the company Imran Okumus told Anadolu Agency Wednesday that the company was FETO’s largest source of financing in Turkey.

"I was appointed as a trustee to Kaynak on July 25, 2015. Our investigations reveal that Gulen’s mansion in Pennsylvania was bought by Abdullah Katircioglu – owner of Katircioglu Construction, an affiliate of Kaynak," he said.

"We have all the documents to prove this. The payment was made by this company,” Okumus added.

"The mansion was bought in 2005. Next, it was mortgaged. And then, in 2015, it was donated to a U.S. company called Golden Generation Worship & Retreat Center," he said, adding that according to the accounting records, the mansion was bought for $2.04 million.

"We also have the document showing the donation, and the address belongs to the mansion,” he said.

Turkey's government says the foiled putsch, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, was organized by followers of Gulen.