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An indictment has been prepared against Ferdi Karadoruk, head of the Istanbul branch of the Association of Active Football Referees and Observers (TFFHGD), seeking a prison sentence of up to eight years in the investigation known as the "referees file" in Istanbul.

Karadoruk was detained during the probe, conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau for Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes. The indictment lists the association's Istanbul branch as the injured party and charges Karadoruk with abuse of trust due to service and violation of the Associations Law.

Allegations examined in the referees file

The investigation covered allegations that Central Refereeing Committee (MHK) head Ferhat Gündoğdu and some MHK members removed referees and observers from classifications, withheld assignments or systematically excluded them without objective and reasoned grounds. It also examined claims that some referees received preferential treatment, that scoring and appointment processes were interfered with, that improper changes were made to referee and observer lists prepared in 2022 and 2024, that some actions were overturned by arbitration board decisions, and that referee exam questions were leaked to people close to the referees' association.

The indictment said evidence gathering was still under way when it emerged that the referees were members of the TFFHGD. A review of account activity sent by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) found discrepancies in the association's accounts and ledgers. Investigators concluded that the case against Karadoruk, who chairs the association, should be handled separately, and the file was split off.

Expert report cites missing approvals and irregular books

An expert report cited in the indictment said an examination of the association's decision book found no board resolution authorizing payments to Istanbul branch chair Ferdi Karadoruk described as an "advance" or "prepayment." The report also found no decisions or documents setting the amounts or ceilings for association spending, the method of payment for association activities, or approving such authority within the budget under Article 49/a of the association's charter.

The report concluded that expenses could not be linked to association activities, that Karadoruk's sole authority to transact on association accounts and his access to internet and mobile banking, along with transfers to his personal account for association expenses, served no necessity. It also said the 2024 journal recorded cash transactions contrary to accounting rules, mixing work advances, bank fund accounts and expense accounts in the cash account, concealing the state of receivables and payables and leaving the books and records improperly kept.

Transfers to and from Karadoruk's personal accounts

The report put the money leaving the association's Istanbul branch bank accounts between January 1, 2024 and September 4, 2026 at 7,499,632 lira across 698 transactions. Of that, 104 transfers to Karadoruk's personal account totaled 1,627,676 lira, or 21.70 percent of the outflow: 12 transactions of 30,000 lira or more worth 686,600 lira, 52 transactions between 10,000 and 30,000 lira worth 764,304 lira, and 40 transactions below 10,000 lira worth 176,772 lira.

Sixty transactions totaling 1,134,670 lira flowed from Karadoruk's accounts back to the association. Within that figure, the report cited 831,000 lira returned in 47 bank transactions without any explanation, 150,000 lira sent on June 12, 2025 described as a refund of final expenses for the cancelled Hilmi Ok tournament, and 50,000 lira on June 18 of the same year labeled a refund of a religious ceremony advance. The report said 1,031,000 lira in total had been held in Karadoruk's possession for personal use.

Sentence sought

The indictment noted that the expert report found the association's 2026 income, expenses and other transactions were not recorded in the books. Prosecutors asked that Karadoruk be sentenced to between one year and three months and eight years in prison on charges of violating the Associations Law and abuse of office due to service.

Key takeaways

• An indictment seeks up to eight years in prison for TFFHGD Istanbul branch chair Ferdi Karadoruk in the "referees file" investigation.
• The association's Istanbul branch is listed in the indictment as the injured party.
• An expert report found no board approval for advance or prepayment transfers to Karadoruk and flagged irregularities in association records.
• Transfers to Karadoruk's personal account totaled 1,627,676 lira, or 21.70 percent of money leaving the branch's accounts, according to the report.