(Hurriyet Newspaper, 28 April 2014)
//ed. note: today's report centers on corruption within
the Turkey Jockey Club (TJK) and our interest in the story
comes along about mid-way through the article.//
Flo Rida riding high in Istanbul last year.
According to the 16-page lawsuit petition and information
gleaned from the evidence list, the focus of the corruption
accusations is the excessive payment made to a U.S. artist
and a production job given to the son of a former Club board
member.
Last year within the scope of the 87th Gazi Derby horse race
events, rapper Flo Rida, whose real name is Tramar Dillard,
and Murat Boz gave concerts. At first, it was agreed that Flo
Rida would receive $586,800 (!) for his two-hour concert but
because the concert was delayed by the Gezi Park incidents in
June, another $87,950 (!!) was added on to Flo Rida's payment.
In total, adding on the tax due, Flo Rida's total payment was
1.6 million TL ($800,000) (!!!), whereas Murat Boz (a pretty
famous Turkish singer) received just 30,000 TL ($15,000) for his
concert the following day. In other words, Flo Rida received
50 times more money than Murat Boz.
The other corruption allegation involved a production job
given to the son of former Club board member Demir Kamil
Gorgun. Allegedly, the son was paid 15,000 British pounds
to produce a VTR (publicity film) that actually cost about
2,000 TL to make. In fact, TJK's own TV unit could have
done the film at no cost.
In defense of the TJK leadership, General Secretary Osman
Hattat told Hurriyet that "we brought in Flo Rida to attract young
people to the Club and to instill a love of horses in them. We didn't
put the money in our own pockets! As for the incident involving
Gorgun's son, that money was returned to the Club."
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