Suspected Mossad financier in Türkiye faces up to 35 years in prison

By Zeynep Yesildal and Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) — A Kosovar national accused of operating a financial network linked to Israeli intelligence in Türkiye faces up to 35 years in prison, according to an indictment accepted by a Turkish court.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged Liridon Rexhepi and a second suspect, Yildiray Boztepe, with “political or military espionage committed in succession,” alleging that the pair worked on behalf of Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency.

Prosecutors say Rexhepi acted as a “financial courier” for Mossad, transferring funds sent by Israeli intelligence to Turkish and foreign nationals in Türkiye who were allegedly collecting intelligence.

These transfers were reportedly used to obtain information about individuals living in Türkiye, particularly Palestinians.

Rexhepi was detained in Istanbul following an investigation by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT). The indictment states he entered Türkiye on Aug. 24, 2024, via Antalya Airport.

According to the indictment, Rexhepi coordinated with Boztepe to carry out drone surveillance of residential complexes in Istanbul’s Buyukcekmece and Basaksehir districts, where Palestinian nationals were known to reside.

Prosecutors say payments were negotiated and transferred from individuals linked to Mossad in exchange for the footage.

The investigation began after residents in Buyukcekmece reported suspicious drone activity near their homes. One of the individuals questioned during the probe said he was hired by Boztepe’s drone filming company to carry out the surveillance.

Messages found on Boztepe’s phone reportedly reveal negotiations over filming fees and discussions about how to obtain details such as floor numbers, apartment layouts, and security points in the buildings.

Following the surveillance operations, money was allegedly sent to Boztepe by individuals using the names Ardit Lusufi and Festim Lusufi, allegedly on behalf of Rexhepi.

Boztepe denied any knowledge of espionage activity, telling prosecutors he works professionally as a drone operator and was hired by a man named ”Abdullah”—believed by Turkish authorities to be a Mossad-linked agent using multiple aliases.

Boztepe said he accepted the filming jobs in exchange for payment via Western Union and did not suspect any wrongdoing.

Despite Boztepe’s claims, the indictment states that the surveillance was part of a broader Mossad operation aiming to identify the residences of targets in Türkiye.

Prosecutors warned that further actions, including potential abductions or assassinations, could have followed.

The indictment seeks between 18 years and 9 months and 35 years in prison for both suspects, and their trial is expected to begin in the coming days.