Gulen Charter Schools NSD / FARA submittal

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Quick Facts
► Region: Western
► School Names_(known as):
1> Sonoran Science Academy
1> Paragon Science Academy
► Total # of Schools in State: -6 charter
schools open, 1 charter school!closed, 1
pre-kindergarten academy
► Total Student Enrollment 2015-16: 2,292'
► Charter Holder/Governing Board(s}:
1> Daisy Education Foundation
Organized as a non-profit with 501(c)
(3) status
Operates 5 charter schools and 1
•pre-kindergarten academy
1> SonoranScienceAcademy-Broadway
{3) status
Operates .1 charter school
► Charter :Management Services Vendor:
Sonoran Schools, Inc.
•► Regional GUlen ·Organization. Over~ight
Entity: Accord Institute for Education
Research
► Regional Sister Networks: Magnolia (CA),
Coral (NV); Lotus, (CO); Beehive (UT).
Attempted, Networks: Pioneer (~A);
Sonoran (HI); Coral (WA)Z.
Overview
As of the 2016-2017 schoot year, Arizona has
six GUlen Organization charter-schools in oper-
ation and one pre0 kindergarten academy. These
Empireof Deceit: An 111/estigatioo oi the GUleo Cha1ter School Network
► Total Revenues for the 2015-16 school
year: $18,983,8663
► Network Founders:
t> Nasuhi Yurt: now works at Ebru TV, a
GUlenist television station in NJ
t> Abdullah Yilmaz: still ·runs Daisy &
Sonoran Schools.
t> Turgay K0rkmaz: now servesas board
president of Aiverwalk Education
Foundation, the governing board: of
the GUlenist Si::hootof Si::ience·and
Technology (SST).charter network in
Texas.
t> Melin Yildirim:,later served as board
member for Mokapu Stem. School,
a failed GUlenist charter school in
Hawaii also partnering with Accord
and;Daisy.
t> Ozkur Yildiz: CEO of Daisy/Sonoran,
connections toiBay.Area·rechnology
School (CA),.now President·of·West
American Turkic Council, Director
of Turkic American• Alliance; lobbied
members of Hawaiian legislature to
expand charter network there.
t> Mehmet Argin: began as Daisy/
Sonoran principal, then became
ceo·ot Daisy/Sonoran, then CEO of
M8gnolia, seived on board ofMcikapu
STEM School, a failed GUlenist char-
ter school"in:Hawaii also partnering
with Accord and Daisy.
schools are overseen by the Daisy Education
Foundation ("Daisy"), a non-profit governing
board of directors in ~peration since 1999. Daisy
Demographic information available at: http://tinyurl.com/gwa7aoc (last checked 3/24/2017)
Coral Academy of Science Application that was later denied by the Washington State Charter Commission available at:
http://tinyurl.com/hvytvse (last checked 211/2017).
Figure includes Daisy Early Learning Academy, taken from adding the re-.ienues of both Darsy Education Corporation as
well as $~A-Broadway, audits available at: http://tinyurl.com/kpumzfd (last checked 3/24/2017).
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07/27/2017 6: U :32 PM

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Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6: 11 :32 PM
Empire of Decdl: An lnvestiga!100 o1 !he Gillen Cnarter School NelWOI~ Emptniof Decatl: An lnvestigauoo of !he GU!en Charter School Ne!WO(k
e> Renai Shaykhutdlnov: Board
Member, .Palm Beach •Science, Inc.
(FL); Board President, Riverside
Science, lnc.-(FL);>Presenter at mul-
tiple GUlen Conferences; Author
of articles regarding Gulen and
Education; Presenter for The At1antic
Institute.•
e> AkH Aydin: Founding Board Member,
River City Education Services, Inc.
(FL); Director, Istanbul Cultural Center
of Jacksonville (FL); Director, Amity
Turkish Cultural Center (FL); Board
Member, Green·charter School,(SC);
Presidert of the Atlantic Institute of
South Carolina (SC).b
e> Selcuk Bilyukaaarac: lncorporator,
Founding Board Member, River City
EducationiServices, Inc. (FL); Public
Relations Director, River City Science
Overview
As of the 2016-2017 schOOI year, FIOrida has 12
charter· schools within· the GUien- Organization.
Unlike other states, 1
FIOrida has numerous
small Gulen charter.networks across-the state,
ranging from one to four schools in size. While
each of these networks.is controlled:by its.own
governing board, giving the ~ppearance that
these networks are separate, these networks
share the same vendors, founders, and charter
Academy (Fl); Chief of Public Affairs
and Government Relations, River City
Science Acadeff!y (FL).e
1> Dogan Tozoglu: Board President,
Stars Edllcation Seniices (FL); Board
member, Consultant, •Sweetwater
Education, Inc. (FL); Founding
Board:member, Palm Beach Science
Academy (FL)(attempt); Petitioner,
capitalCityCharterScienceAcademy
(FL){Bttempt); Executive Director,
River City Science Academies (FL).'
t> Mehmet Taakan: lncorporator,
Discovery Education ,Services,
Inc. (FL); lncorporator, Universal·
Education Services, Inc. (FL); Owner,
Blue Ocean construction {FL) (River
City construction vendor);,Employee,
Khatib Development LLC (FL) -
Gulenist L_andford entity.8
management, corporations and have connec•
tions throughout the Southeastern region of
the,Gulen OrQanization. Furthermore, based on
student enrollment and financial resources con•
trolled, our research indicates that Florida is one
of the larger networks in the country.
Charter Educational Services & Resources
("CESA") isthe charter man~gement organization
lnformanon gathereG from the R01icla Sec1etary of State, available al: http.//tinyurl.com/mh72fhf (last checked
6/15/2017); Conference was held Nov. 3. 2007 in San Antonio, Texas, and the conference agenda is available at: http://
tinyurl com/gt2vuJS (last checked 6/15/2017); Conference speaker hst, available at: http://tinyurlcomfkj7Y882 (last
checked 6/15/2017);_Conference presentatH)n, ava~able at: http://t1nyurl.com/k!xu29d (last checked 6/15/2017). Art,c:le
listing {search name), available at: http://tinyurLCO'l1/m5cfaq5 (last checked 6/15/2017).
lnformat,On taken from: G1een charter board minutes, available at: http://tinyurlcom/lp4rppx (last checked 6/15/2017);
Green chaner pet1non pg 18, available a!: http://tinyurl.com/mb7sjmi. {last checked 6/15/2017); Anicie d,scussing Aydin
and Amity, available at: http.//tinyurlcom/y7pQl78 (last checked 6/15/2017); Article discussing Aydin and the Atlantic
Institute. ava,lable at: http://tinyurl.com/menn3mk (fast checked 6/1512017).
Information taken from: Linkedin prof,le, ava,lable at http://Myurl.com/lqyiehu (last checked 6/15/2017).
lnforn1atOn taken from: LinkeGin profile, available at: http:/lhnyurlcom/kn2ykaj; (last checked 6/15/2017); Stars
Education corporate fil,ngs. available at: http://t1ny1,1rl.com/lfbv3fv (last checked 6/15/2017); Palm Beach Science
Academy Petition. pg 5 http://tinyurl.com/nx6693g (last checked 6/15/2017); 2013•14 Charter school report, available at:
http://tinyurl.com/kd5c6bs (last checked 6/15/2017); Sweetwater 2010 990 fo1m. available at: http://tinyurl.com/goj3z.w3
(last checked 6/1512017)
lnformat>On taken from: Discovery Education Services. Articles of lnc01pora1ion available at: http://tinyurl.com/ml8qjeh
(last checked 6/15/2017); UniverSal Education Services, corporate information available at: http://tinyurl.com/kwwpz7p
(last checked 6/15/2017); R,ver City Plata LLC corporate information available at: http·//tmyurl.com/mc32ngh (last
checked 6/15/2017); Khattb Development corporate information available at: http://tinyurl.com/kc.ug5u (last checkeG
6/15/2017), Blue Oce.in Corporate !.lings, available at: http://tinyurl.com/lb5e5bs (last checked 6/15/2017)
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Received,by NSD/FARA Registration Unit
responsible for the Southeastern region of the state average; 9.3% English language learners vs.
Gulen Organization charter network. CESR 9.8% state average; 59.5% minOrity students vs.
allegedly provides additional.educational man• 60.5% state average; and.40-5% Caucasian stu·
agement services for the charter schools for a dents vs. 39.5% state average. As these numbers
percentage fee of total school revenues.·On aver- indicate, the· Florida GUlen charter schools serve
a~,theFloridaGUlencharterschoolsserve41.7% a significantly smaller percentage of vulnerable
free and reduced lunch population vs. 58.7% state student populations, such as economically disad-:-
average; 5.8% students with disabilities vs.:13.2% vantaged studerits and students with disabilities.
I ,School Operation' Student Demographic Authorizer Gov9n!ing EkNlrd1·
•·---------------~•~~n• . -Orlando Science Grades S:12 1.9% ELL
Middle High Charter 2008-Present 36% FAL
;{0089) 2.7% SWD
2427 Lynx Lane
Orlando; FL 32804
'Orlando Science
iElementary
,Charter (0200) 2611
TechnoloO)'.Drive
•Orlando,' FL 32804
Seminole Science
Charter School
.(9236) 3580· Nus
·Highway 11~92 Lake ·
Mary, FL 32746
Osceola Scleilce
Charter School (0181)
•2880 North Orange
,SloSSom Trail
:Kissimmee, FL 34741
River City Science
Elementary Academy
(1291) 7450 Beach
Blvd: Jacksonville, FL
32216
,River City Science
.Academ)' Innovation
School (5441)
,3251 Newell Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL
32~16
River City Science
Academy (120_1)
3266 Southside Blvd
Jacksonville, FL
32216
·Rivei.City Science
Academy at
·, Mandarin (5601)
109n·Old st.
Augustine Rd.
.!acksonville, FL
Grades K-5
2012-Present
Grades K-6
2015-Present
Grades K-6
2016-Present
Grades K-5
2010-Present
Gr&des K-6
2013-Present
Grades 6·12
2007-Present
Grades K--8
2016-Present
72.8% Minority
27.2% Ce~casian
6,S'ffi'ELL
39.2% FRL
:J.3%SWD
69.6% Minority
30.4% Caucasian_
2.9% ELL
39.2% FRL
8,6%SWD
54.9% Minority
45.1% caucasilin
29.39& ELL
57.7% FRL
0.9'bSWD
79.6% -Mitlority
20.4% caucasian
11.6% ELL
0.8%"FRL
3.5%SWD
42.2% Minority
57.8% Caucasian
6.2%ELL
17.6'1, FRL
5.3'J& SWD
50.1% Minority
49.9% Caucasian
6.1% ELL
7.0% FRL-
6.8%SWD
42.4% Minority
57.6% Caucasian
8.5%ELL
37.8%FRL
9.6%SWD
47.6% Minority
52.4% caucasian
urange L;ounty
School Board
Orange County
School Board
Seminole County
School Board
Osceola C0L.inty
School Boerd·
Duval County
,School Board
Duval County
·School Bi>ard
Duval County
School Board
Duval C0unty
School Board
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07/27/2017 6: 11 :32 PM
Discovery
Education
Services, Inc.
Discovery
Educatioo
Services, Inc.
Discovery
Education
Services, Inc.
Discovery
Education
Services, Inc.
River City
Educatioii.
Services, Inc,
River City
EducatiOO.
Services. Inc.
River.City
Education
Services, Inc.
River City
Education
Services, In~-

Received byNSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/201,7 6:H:32 PM
Empire ofDeceit: An lll'lestigation of the GUlen Charter School Network :EmpJra of Deceit: An lrnrest1gatroo of the Giilen Charter School Network
..School·
Tallahassee School
Of Math & Science
(1425) Formerly Stars
Middle School
3434.N Monroe St·
Tallahassee, FL
32303
Broward Matti-and
,~ience School
,(5038}
6101 NW 31st street
·Margate, FL 33063
Discovery Academy
Of Science Charter
School (North &
South c.impuses)
(7331)·
1380 Pinehurst Rd.
Dunedin, FL 34698
•New.Springs Schools
:cee57J ·
,2410 E Busch Blvd:
.'f&mpa, fl 33612
Opel'8Uoi17_.-..-.·studentl>enlognlptiic
. .. fntOmliilon·•·· -
Grades K·B 7.3% ELL
2015•Present 76.5% FAL***
a'.a%SWD
63.4% Minority
36.6% Caucasian
Grades K~12 ta7%·eu
2014~Present 67,7%FRL
6.6%SWD-
et3% MiOOrity
19.7% Caucasian
Grades K-12 0.6%EU
2013-Present 41.7% FRL
7.7%SWD
26.9% Minority
73.1% Caucasian
Grades k-a 12.1% ELL
EJementary 79.4•Ji/FRL
2010-Present 7.3%.SWD
Middle 83% Minority
:fon:pre~nt 17%. CalJ'?8sian,
Autf!orizer -.
Leon c_c,unty
School Board
Broward Courity
Schoof Board
Pinellas County
School Board
HitlSborough
CoUnty SchOOI
Board I
G~~ng~~1
Stars Education,
Inc.
Riverside Science,
Inc.
Galaxy Education,
"Inc.
·New Springs, Inc.
Closed ~•rtet Schools and Attempted Charter school Appllcatlons
Riversid8 ScilJflce .Denied 2009 Broward Cou~ Riverside ScieriCe,:
~emy_8200 S:outh· School ~oard ,inc;
iPalm Dr, Deerfield•
·BeaC~; Fl 33~35
·Sweetwater 2010-2013 Closed Elementary closed Alachua County Neosprings, Inc.
Branch 'AC:ademy due to failing ·gradE!s;, School Board
(Elementary and middle due tci financial
·Middle) insol~ency
:Palm Beach Science APproved 2011; Palm Beach Palin Beach
.School Dela~20·13, County School Science, Inc.
~~r_O~n~d. Boa!(_
Atlantic Science Authorized 2005, Miami-Dade Sweetwater
Academy never opened Schools Education, Inc.
~Miami-Dade Science Appr~ _2010, Miami~Oade Sweetwater
•Schools Delayed _2012, Schools- Education, inc.
never opene_di
Osceola Universal Denied 2006 Osceola County Univers&I
Charter·School School B6ard Education
Services, Inc.
Capital City Charter Application with- UtO"nCounty starSiEi::lucation
(Science Ac~my drawn 2013 ScJ'!o:_ol Boerd Servic~s, Inc.
Student demographic information was taken from the 2015·2016 school year, with the exception of those schools opened
in 2016. «ELL» ind,cates English Language Learners. «FRL».indicates students receiving freEi/reduced lunch, and ~sWD>
ind1tates students w1tn disabilities.•
River Cfti Science Academy experienced a dramatit decrease in students eligible for free/reduced lunch between 2015-
16 to 2016-17, from 48% to 7%. This decline should be investigated,
Tallahassee School of Math and science experienced a dramatic decrease in students eligible for free/reduced lunch
between 2015-16 to 2016-17, from 76.596 to 5896. This decline should be investig8ted.
Student enrollment and demographic information available at: http://tinyurl.com/mtzdnmw (last checked 4/19/2017)
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Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit
A History of Strategic Ambiguity
-and Conflicting Interests
ll!e Florida· GUIen charter network· consists
of several smaller charter networks that appear
,toibe Unrelated·on<iheir face, but our research
indic<:'~es· that in··reality,they Share the .same
founding 'board members, vendors, landlords,
-and employees. Furthermore, the Florida net-
woi-k shares significant oV_erlap with Gulenists,
from the failed Georgia network.
The first educational foundiltion formed
in- Florida was Sweetwater Education, Inc.,
in 2003. Di". Cengiz .Alacaci incorpoi"ated the
governing board, which ~ent on to submit
two charter applications for Gulenist ,charter
schools in1Miami.·Both,were approved, but"nei~
-ther. opened.10
:sweetwater Education continues
to:exist today, though it serves no known pur•
pose at.this time. The second foundation to form
was Stars1Edllcation ,Services"dnc., founded by
Valcin Akin• in•2004. Akin:is one of the primary
,founders of.the Floi"ida Gulen network as he has.
been involved in at IE!ast four.of the ten GUleniSt
·networks (both- attempted and established) in
Florida, including Tampa, Miami; Tallahassee,
and.Orlando.
Discovery:Edi.Jcation·Services was the third
•foundatior to form, incorporated ,in 2005 by
Mehmet Taskan, -owner of Blue Construction.
Blue·ocean Construction is the ·GUlenist-con•
structiOn vendOr for-the Southeastern region:of
the Gulen Organization.11
A·year later, Taskan
formed -Universal EdUc8tion: Services· in Miami·
with one of his fE!llow Discovery board members,
Mustafa lnce.'2 River City also formed in 2006 by
:selcuk BUyuksarac. Among its~founding board
,members was Akif Abdulbasit-Aydin. Aydin.'has
also wor~ed as the director of the Amity Turkish
Cultural Center and the Istanbul Cultural Center,
,both.Gulenist cultui"al associations. Aydin:Iater
admitted to being a :Giilenist during a radio
i~terview gi_ven after the~attempted coup in 2916,
discussed further below,.and stated that teach-
ers and administrators at :River City Science
Academy were.Blso GUlenists.
While.many.of theJoundations:formed from
2003-2006, the· first, school to succesSfufly
open was River City Science-Academy in1 2007.
Orlando Science Charter School opened a
year later in,2008, and,since-then, elE!ven,more
schools opened. Only two ~ave closed down so
far--:Sweetwater Branch Academy Elementary
and MiddlE!. The schOOls shut dowrfdue to poor
academic performance and bad financial condi·
tion, classic markers for Gulen charter schools.
The Florida:Gulen charter network•is·over-
seen 1by the regional charter management
organizatiOn, charte"r Educational Services
·& Resources ("CESR"). CESR was formeriy
known.as the Gi"ace'lnstitute, bufthe company
chang~d its branding after a series of damaging
'forensic audits condUcted.by a Georgia school
district revealed it to be a:sham:corpoi"ation. 13
The Fulton Science ACademies in GeO_rgia we_re
investigated for periodic jnsolvency and•other
.financial concerns in the:2012~2013:timeframe.
The audits uncovered 811 the haHmai"ks of a
Gulen charter network, including:the use of a
sham· external·charter manaQement: organiza-
tion, the Grace Institute. Th"e audit investigations
reveciled that Grace only had two employees-
one of which was a. paid administrator of the
.Fulton,ScienCe schools,-and the o_ther a part•
· time:person to answer the;-phone. Despite the
fact that the" Fulton Science schools paid Grace
significant ,fees eaC:h year, Grace did not in
fact;provide any services of·value:and consti-
tuted·a-conflict of intefest:due.to-.their.shared
employee, Ali Ozer.
Sweetwater corporate filings. available at: http://tinyurl.com/kjq6hsb (last checked 6/15/2017)
Discovery Education Seri.rices, Articles of lncOd'poration available at: http://tinyurl.com/ml8qJeh (last checked 6/15/2017),
Universal Education Services, corporate information available at: http://tinyurl.com/kwwpz7p (last checked 6/15/2017),
For more information, see the Georgia profile,
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07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM

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Received.by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
EmpireofDeceit: An lnvest1gahoo of the GUIen Charter School Network
After the.Fulton Science (GA} school$ were
non-renewed due to numerous issues, the
Grace Institute changect'its name to·CESR and
continued to provide "services" to ,its FIOrida
customers from its Atlanta and Jacksonville offic-
es.,. CESR was incorporated in Florida:by Avni
COkavci, the.former principal.of Fulton·Science
Academy High School (formerly TEACH}.'~ Many
cif the H-1B teachers and·employees,utilized by
the Fulton Science.{GA) schools were ultimately
dispersed throughouMhe Florida Gulen char7
ter schools, though the two. networks shared
employees prior to,that, as ~II. For example,
Murat Cetin, Principal of the Fulton Science
elementary school, is currently·Principal of the
Osceola Science Charter Sc~ool.115
A Sample of'Board Member/Employee Overlap
Across the Florida Network"
Elvan Aktas Sweetwater River City Education
Education Services 2013-Present
2005-07
Mehmet Taskan Discovery Universai'Education
Education Services 2006-12
Servlce52005~12
Mustafa Ince Discovery Universal Education
Education Services 2006-12
Services 2005-06
Valcin Akin Stars Education Employed by Sweetwater New Springs· Inc.
Servtces Inc. Discovery.Education 'Education Inc. 2014~Present
200472014 Services, Inc, (non~v!Jllng advi7
2007-Present sor) 20~-10
Dogan Tozoglu Stars Education Sweetwater-Education Palm Beach Employed
Services, Inc. Inc. (non-voting Science Inc. by River City
2006-Present advisor) (only in petition Education
2009-10 2010) Services Inc.
2010:Present
Aenat Shaykhutdinov Riverside· Science, P81m Beach Science
inc. Inc.
2008-Present 2010-13
For an archived vers,on of the Grace Sc~s website as of February 2010. list.ng member schools. see: hnp://linyurl.
com/n2racps {last checked 6/1512017)
GA Department of Education report, listing TEACH informat,on, available at: http://tinyurl.com/kgpv22v (last checked
6/15/2017)
Information taken from: Orlando Science ij511ng, available at: http://tinyurl.com/~ptbng (last checked 6/15/2017); and
Linkedin profile, available at: http://t1nyurl.com/lp6m7dy (last checked 6/15/2017),
Information gathered from corporate filings fo1 each of the FJorida Giilen charter foundation boards
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Received-by NSD/FARA Registration,Unit
EmplreatDeceH: An lnvest1gat1on of the GUIen Charter School Network
Inter-Entity Lending Practices
Our investigation.would suggest that charter
schools within the GUlen Organization and their
¥endors.engage.in frequent inter-entity lending
practices, ranging from school to school, from
employees to the school. board.members to the
school, and even from.vendors to the school, a
known warning sign for-money'laundering.11
In
2015-16, both River City Science Elementary and
River City Science Innovation owed River• City
Science Academy money-$23,726 and $53,834
respectively." All:of the River·City schOOls are
under the same governing board, meaning the
board owes fiduciary duties of care and k>yalty
to each of its schools. Shuffling,funds between
schools, particularly• when River ·City Science
Academy operated at a deficit net position for
the same year, could be indicative of a breach of
fiduciary duty to the school.
Similarly indicative of the.poor financial con-
ditions seen throughou,t charter networks in the
Gulen Organization, Broward Math and Science
borrowed $19,500 from its principal Ali Gumus in
2015-16, who earned $60,000 that year in salary,
to cover operating costs. The school also bor-
rowed $83,000 from one-to~two unnamed board
members in the same year as well: as $15,000
from an unnamed individual. This is not the first
time Broward·Math and'Science has taken out
loans-itsiprincipal loaned it $27,000 the year
before, and board·member and:Florida founder,
Renat Shaykhutdinov loaned it $14,800'prior to
that.20
Tallahassee School of ·Math and ScH!nce
also received a significant loan $45,000 from its
board member, Zeki Akdemir in 2014.21
The Anti-Maney Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing Guidance to accompany the federal arid intemat,onal
legislation hst numerous unusual transactions made with little to no justification between affiliated entities as warning
signs. See Guidance at http://tinyurlcom/zb56xe1 (last checked 6/1512017)
See 2016 aud,ts for each school.
'" lnformat10n taken from the 2014-15 audit, available at: http.//lmy,Jrl.com/jZyfbul {last checked 6/15/2017); and 990 tax
documemation.
See the 2014 990 form for Stars Education, Inc
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07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM

,.
Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
Empireol Deceit: An lrl'lest1gat1on of the GiJlen Charter School Network
Real Estate
Our interpretation of the evidence suggests
that ,one of the most significant :Profit cen-
ters for the Gi.ilen Organization,is through real
estate. This property financing scheme has
been replicated throughout the country-in
fact,•Yahap Uysal,.a-board.member of Concept
Schools/2
wrcite ancfpresented0an article enti-
tled «GUlen -Movement and School• Financing»
at the Third Annual Conference on Islam, in
the-Contemporary World: The Fethullah GUlen
Movement in Thought and,Practice.23 :GUlenists
throughout the country attended and presented,
including the Greater Texas regi_on's founder Alp
Aslandogan,2' as well as Aorida's own Renat
Shaykhutdinov, board member for Broward
Math and,Science and Petitioner for the failed
Palm Beach Science School.
Like other vendor relationships, the GUlen
Organization profits off of· requiring its charter
schools to rent or buy property from Gi.llenists,
usually at exorbitant-prices. Our research leads
to the conclusion t.hat the Gulenists gener-
ally provide kickbacks to the overall Gulen
Orgariization in return for the· business, all at the
expense ofthe charter school's public funds. The
scheme extends.to the use of affiliated GUlenist
construction companies to renovate the charter
schools' ,properties, who appear to-overcharge
and underperform with impun~.
tn Aorida,.by far the most egregious example
of the Gulen Organization's real:estate scheme
concerns the acquisition ofthe River City Science,
Academy's 7555 and ?605 Beach ·Boulevard
property in"Jacksonville, F.L In 2010. Vazan Khatib
purchased the 7555 property at aforeclosure auc-
tion fo, $100.00 through his company, River City
~laze LLC, which also employs Mehmet Taskan.~
Over the next three years, Khatib·and,Taskan pro-
cured numerous building permits for construction
and renovation:to,update the property for River
City Scierice Academy mentioned by name as
earlyas 2011. Khatibspent$1,583,5000 inconstruc-
tion and acquisition costs on the 7555 property.2G
Khatib and-Taskan often Iiired ,Taskari's own com-
pany, Blue10cean Construction, to perform the
renovations. In 2014, River.City Science Academy
took over the payment for the building permits for-
the :property, despite:not officiaUy owning:it'yei.
ln 2015,-River City Science Academy purchased
the.building from•Khatib for $12,509,500 with the
proceeds of bond financing, discussed below.
The $12.5 million purchase also included
the 7605 property next door, which Khatib pur-
chased in 2012·for $340,000.2'1From 2012-2014,
this property was renovated to include a, gym
constructed by Blue Ocean Construction.~a While-
Khatib technically owned the 7605 property until
2ms, River City,Science Academy paid for the
majority of the construction-costs from 2012-14.
A-brief.rundown of the parties' costs and prof~
its r~garding_the 7555_property ("7555") and the
7605 property ("7605") is as follows:
"' See Concept Schools 990 tax form, available at: http.//tinyurlcom/h5yvjlt (last checked 6/15/2017)
" Conference was held Nov. 3, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas. and the conference ager,da is available at: http./ltinyurl.coml
gt2vujs (last checked 6/15/2017)
i, See Texas profile for more mformat1on about Alp Aslandogan.
" Foreclowre information available at: http://tinyurl.com/mzxg2u7 {last checked 6/15/2017); Property history available at
http //tinyurlcom/leqctfa (last checked 6/15/2017): and Rive, City Plaza LLC corporate information availaole at: http://
tfnyurl.com/mc32ngh (last checked 6/15/2017); Khatib Development corporate information avaclable at: http://t1nyurl
com/kczqg5u (last checlo:ed 6/15/2017)
"" This figure IS !he S100 sale price plus the aggregate total of fees listed in the permits. available at: http.//t,nyurlcom/
mv7k7au (last checked 5/15/2017).
" Property history, available at: http://tinyurl.com/kusft9s (last checked 6/15/2017)
'" All information regarding the construction costs is available through searching the building permit database, available at:
http;//linyurlcom/mv7k7au (last checked 6/15/2017)
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Empire of Deceit: An lrwestigation of the GiHen Charter School Network
y,;.--Khatib&Tnkan .-·RIYor
CltJ Plaza, UC; 790118eacll
Boillnlllrd Li.c
Tnkln- Blue Ocean AIYerctt,Sclence'AcademJ
2010 • $100 to purchase 7555 building
• $115,000 for roof ~pair
---:20ft -$910.000. fOI' •improvements" +$910,000 "improvements• paid •$2,000 for 7555 tree removal·
for 7555 ,by Khatib in cash for 7555
-$73,500 plumbing foi7555 +$14,500 tenCS for 7555
•$15.000 wiring for 7555 +$8.500 canopies for 7555
•$25,000 electrical·tor 7555 -
-$55,000 $pririkler system for
7555
•$50,000 sprinkler system for
7555
•$155.000 duct work for 7565
-$800 tree rell1oval for 7556
-$14,500 fence for 7555
-$8,500 canopies for,7555
-'1,200 fe~ lighting _for 7555
2012 •$340,000 purchase for 7605
•$89,000 electrical for 7555
•$6,000 sprinklers for 7555
•$24,500 drains for 7555
•ZOU •$8,500.site prep for 7555
·SS,500 site work for 7555
2014
:2011
•$2,380 demo building for 7605
-$85,500 landscaping for 7605
•$2,858 sign for 7605
-$2,858 sign for 7605
+s12,5o9,SOO for sale ol 7555
aild 7605'to'River City Science
Academy
Total = $1,998,696 spent total
=.$12,509,500 gained
= $10,510,804 net profit
+$8.500 site work for 7555
+ 2,380 demo building for 7605
+$964,595 gym construction for
7605
+$7855 gym canopy for.7605
=$1.916,130 profit
·$30,949 LED sign for 7555 paid
in cash
•$98,000 duct work for 7605
•SS.000 security for 7605
•$16,000 sprinkler for 7605
•$33,500 drains for 7605
-$6,000 sprinkler.for 7605
-$964,595 gym construction for
7605 in cash
-S12,509,500 purchase 7555 and
7605
•$50 1£0 sign bulbs
·$30;949 LED sigri for 7555
-$1000 lighting fo_r 7605
=$1.168,044 spent before awning
either building
=$13,678,594 spent total
=$29,326,656 ultimate cost due
to bond financing
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07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
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EmpirsotDecdt: An lmestigalion of the GUIen Cha1ter School Network
As·the chart demonstrates, both•Khatib and
Taskan profited extensively off of these property
transactions with1River City·Science Academy.
Ultimately, River City Science Academy will
spend_' $29.3 million due to the bond debt it
incurred to pay Khatib's $12.5 million price;
Taskan was-listed,as both the:property owner
and the·contractor:on numerous:building per-
mits as he routinely hired his own cOmpany Blue
Ocean Construction for work on behalf of Khatib
and River,City Science.Academy. Both'Khatib
and Taskan have connections thi'oughout the
GUlen Organization. Khatib sits on the board of
directors for the Atlantic Institute of Jacksonville,
a GUlenist cultural association which hosts
dialogue dinners and trips to Turkey for local pol-
iticians. Khatib's company Pelham oaks PJaza
LLC is also the laildlord for a. Gulenist char-
ter school in South Carolina, GREEN Charter
School}'" Taskan's Blue Ocean Construction
is the preferred construction vendor for the
Southeastern region of the GUlen Organization.
Blue Ocean continues to do numerous .jobs for
GUlenist charter schools throughoufFlorida and
the Southeastern region. Blue Ocean also uses
the same H-1B attorneys as the rest of the Giilen
Organization.10
Taskan _also has other concerning connec-
tions to the, Florida sch001s-he served on the
founding board of Discovery Education Services,
which oversees Orlando Science, Osceola
Science, and SeminOle Science.'' He also.incor-
porated Universal Education Services with many
of the-same- indivjduals "°om Discovery, which
submitted an application.for a:Gi.llenist:charter
school in Osceola that was not aJ?proved.32 As is
common.with Gi.ltenist '!l"endors, Taskan served
first as:a_school:creator that he.then.later prof-
ited as a vendor.
The other schools that are-implicated in· the
Gulen Organization's· real estate scheme are
Seminole ·Science and Tallahassee Math and
Science. The school~ renHheir Properties from
5M Associates and 3434 Monroe Holdings
respectivety, both of which are owned by Naeem
Haider."-' Haider sits on the board for the Atlantic
lnstitute'alOngside Yazan Khatib in Jacksonville.
The rent information is only available for the year
2015-2016, which was the_ first year each school
began renting from Haider. Seminole Science
paid between $178,000- $215,000 that year, and
Tallahassee Math.and Science paid $210,000-
$240,235,:u Using Ohio as a comparator, the rent
prices should be- closely scrutinized for later
years as the GUlenist landlord entities in Ohio
dOubled, tripled, and in one case, quadrupled
rent each year.35
Orlando Science also rents an·outdoor recre-
ation area from,Discovery Educa~ion Properties
at Technology, LLC, a related party under
common·control. lil 2015-16; it paid itself$78,000
in rent.35
Executive,Dir!!ctor Yalcin:Akin is listed
as the owner.of this related for~profit entity, More
infoi"mation is needed to determine whether this
is an appropriate relationship.
,. GREEN charter school minutes, available at: htlp /ltinyurl.com/lwuodat (last checked 6/15/2017).
"' Blue Ocean uses Atlorney Remzi Kulen, see Abuse of the H-1B Program section.
Discovery Education Services Articles of Incorporation. available at: http·//linyurlcom/mlBqjeh {last checked 6/15/2017)
" Universal Educat10n Services, corporate information available at: http://tinyurl.com/kwwpz7p (last checked 6/15/2017).
.., Corporate information for 5M Associates. available at: htt,o://tinyurl.com/k3a6pl2 (last checked 6/15/2017); 3434 Monroe
Holdings, available at: http://tinyurlcomtld38apf (last checiled 6/15/2017).
.. Figures taken ftom the 2016 audits and 2016 accountab1l1ty reports for each school, which for some reason, hst d1~erent
amounts for leases paid. available at: http://tinyurl.com/m9ldgth (last checked 6/15/2017)
'.. See Ohio profile for more detail
30
See 2016 aud,t, availaole at: availaole at: http://tinyur!com/m9ldgth (last checked 6/15/2017)
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Bond Financing,
To date, the River City Science Academy gov-
erning; board is the ori"ly• Florida networ~ ihat
has:secured bond1financing,'ln,2015;-the board
received three bond issuances in the cumulative
amount of $14.4 mitlion from the Capital Trust
Agency.3' The bonds financed the acquisition
of the properties owned by River ·CitY Plaza,
LLC, discussed above in the real estate sec-
tion. According to.the bond statement, the River
City board entered into-a purchase.agreemerit
with khatib·of•River City Plaza on OctOber 24,
&n,treotDeceft: An 1mes1igat1on of the GL!len Charter School Network
2014,311
·8IthouQh the sale•Was nOt.fiilalized;until
2015;An appraisal conducted in 2015 stated-the
value of the property as $12 million, but notably,
this included the gym, Which River City Science
Academy had just paid $1 million to renovate. The
amounts paid by River City Science Academy
were nOt credited:10,the purchase price, how-
ever, further underscoring the bad deal ·the
schools received compared to the profit of the
GUlenist landlord entity.
Excessive use of the H-1B Visa Program
Like other GU!en Organization charter net-
works, the Florida GUlet1 charter schools utilize
the H-1B visa program to immigrate·large num-
bers of Turkish GUlenists into the United:States
for eJf!ployment in the schools and ne!work. The
Florida network filed·at•least-195 H:1B applica-
tions from 2001-2016, while CESA itself filed
e H-1B applications during the.same.period."
While the GUlen .Organization typically states
that these H~1Bs are only to fill shortage·areas-
for math and,science teachers, these-applica-
"tions were filed for such positions as:,principel,
curriculum coordinator, business operations
specialist, instructional coordinator, business
manager, and Science Olympiad coordinators.
Stars,Education Services has.recently been
sued for employment discrimination as of
December 2016,411
Florida's Gulen charter schools use the
same immigration attomeys to file and process
their' H-18 applications as other known· Gulen
Organization charter networks, vendors, and
cultur!:1I associations,, indicating once again•the
existence of an overall network. For example:
► Cherie Cookorlnla: the Florida network
(including: Discovery, River City, New
Sj:Jrings, Neosprings, Stars Edllcation,
Galaxy), used Cookorinis, a Georgia-
based attorney· to file numerous H-1B
applications.41
Cookorinis also-filed aP,pli-
cations for:
E> Fulton Science {GA}
t>- Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation
(MD).
E> lriad Math and Science {NC)
t>- Charter Educational Services &
Resources (GA, FL)
E> Grace Institute (GA, FL)
" Bond statements available at http://tinyurl.com/meh94uv {last checked 6/15/2017).
'" Bond olkia:I statement, pg 10. ava,lable al: http://:inyurlcom/k5pb7cf (last checl<ed 6/15/2017).
"' See MyVisa.lobs.com for each goveming board"s information. 1) Discovery Edl.lCation Services 61 H'.1Bs, available_ at:
http.l/tinyurl.ccim/kcf21af (last checked 6/15/2017); 2) River C,ty Education Services 80 H-18s. available at: http://tinyurl.
com/lb6kgyll (fast checked 6/15/2017); 3) Stars Education Services1a H-1Bs. available at: http://tinyurlcom/m6wme9m
(last checked 6/15/2017); 4) Riverside Science 3 H·1Bs, available st: http.//tifl)'t.lrlcom/mcJzfaf (last checked 6/15/2017);
5) Galaxy Education, 5 H-1Bs, available at: htlp.//tmyurl.com/k5q5v44 (last checked 6/15/2017); 6) New Springs Inc. 19
H-1Bs, a...ailable at: http://tinyurl.com/kai429x (last checked 6/15/2017); 7) Sweetwater Education 2 H-1Bs, available at:
http://tinyurt.com/n5zdb2n (last checked 6/15/2017); 8) Neosprings, Inc. 12 H-lBs a:vailable at: http://tinyurl com/ldm.52
(last checked 6/15/2017) and http·//tinyurl.com/kr6wa2w (last checked 6/15/2017)
.. COurt docket, available at: http·//t,nyur!com/m244vxw (last checked 6/15/2017).
List of entities represented by Chefie Cookorinis. available B1: http.//1inyurl.com/m4e6cgl (last checked 6/15/2017).
IJ<ISi.tAHflAl l~DISJ;a13~JEO :Ji AMSltfD.IM ~ tAklN:liS llP 011 H(11ALI ~I l~t f;cJ·U~IIC Gf IU~•E!
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07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
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Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6: 11 :32 PM
Emplreol Deceit: An lnvestiga11on of the Gillen Charter Schorn Network
► Rernzfl<ulitn: the Florida network:used
Kulen, a New York-based.attorney, to file
numerous H~1B applications.•1 Kulen also
filed applications for:
1> Orlando Culture &Dialog Center (fl)
t> Blue Ocean Construction (FL)
t> Fulton Science (GA}
t> Charter Educational Services &
Resources (GA, FL)
Scandals and Notable Events
River City Science Academy and,Tallahassee
Math:and Science Academy both,received s!g-
nificant media:attention in'the aftermath of the
attempted coup.in Turkey in·2016. River City's
Executive Director Dogan Tozoglu wrote a letter
to Jacksonville's mayor stating that the schools
had no.direct affili8tion with.Gulen or involve•
ment with thecoup:0
Also, Akif Aydin, a founding
board member of River City Education Services,
gave a forty•minute radio interview during whiCh
he.spoke extensively of the GOien Movement,
Gulen charter schools, and Gulen•s·suspected
role in the attempted coup." Though Aydin was
interviewed due·to his involvement•with River
City Science Academy, he spoke openly and on
behalf of.Gi.ilen'charter sChools throughout the
country. Some of his more interesting comments
were as follows:
► Aydin stated thaMhere .was "no doubt"
that the charter schools often-referred to
as Gi.ilen charter schools· were founded
by Turkish-individuals inspired by Gi.ilen.
He himself is a follower of Gi.ilen.
► If the Turkish teachers on H·1B visas
choose to donate their money from their
salaries, that's a personal choice. muCh
like donating to a local church.
e> Commentary: What's fascinat•
ing .about this remark from Aydin
was that the interviewer ,had not
t> ConceptSChoolS(OH, IL, IN;'MliMN)
1> Pioneer (MA)
t> Niagara Foundation (IL)
t> Yourig Scholars (PA)
t> Gulen's home, the Golden Generation
Workshop Center {PA)
1> Academy of Science, Syracuse,
Buffalo (NY)
1> Arts & Science, Bergen, Passaic (NJ)
brouQht·up the tuzuk paymerits at all
during the interview. Aydin. offered
this justification apropos of noth·
ing. Whistleblower testimony from
several former Gulenist employees
makes it clear -thanhese payments
are not optional.
► Aydin referred to the concerns. against
Gi.ilen charter schools around the country
for·.oyerpayments •to Gi.ilenist;vendors as·
·slandering." which had never been proven.
e> Commentary: Again, Aydin was
defending Gi.ilen charter schools
nationally, rather than discussing
his,own school River City Science
Academy.
► Aydin stated that, to his,knowledge, the
teachers hired on H·1Bvisas were only for
harcHo•fill math and- science :positions
around.the country in scho0ls founded,
by Turkish individuals inspired by_Gi.ilen.
e> Commentary: This is in direct con-
tradiction to the H·1B applications
themselves, which demonstrate the
positions hired are for positions-.that
help the Gi.ilen Organization mliin•
tain financial control and secrecy
over the use of school'funds, such
es·eccoLintants,·busiriess managers,
and administrators.
" list of entities represented by Remzi Kulen, available at http.//tinyurl.com/gptw•Sx (last checked 6/15/2017)
., Tozoglu letter, avaitable at: http://tmyurl.com/mtmr65g (last checked 6/15/2017)
"' A'p'din interview, available at: http://t,nyurlcom/j2a7b8q (last checked 6/15/2017).
iris IIAICH~I IS i.llSl~l8Ul!O di Jl,ISE~OAM i, p~~r~:rs llPO'l 'lihAlf Of IH F.:f~allC Of IUfh;,
~OOl!IO'l'l l'HCiH,!AIIO'l IS A~Al!ASI: •1111; o,n~f,lf'd Qi J~Slltc. r1isr1•1G10'I, oc
Received'by NSD/FARA Registration Unit
Notable Turkish Vendors
Charter Educational Servlcea &
R8sourcee '"CESR': formertj 1knoWII as
Grace ln1ittvte: CESA is a smaller•scale
charter management organization that over~
sees the Southeastern region of the Gulen
Organization, including the Rorida ne~orks
and the failed Fulton Science (GA) network.
CESA is incoi'poreted by former FultOn Scieiice
{GA) administrator, Avni,Cokavci, and receives
a per-head amount in fees:from each of its
customer charter schools, allegedIy:for curric-
ular support, professional deyelopment, and
student information management systems,.fn
Florida, Ri'ler City Science schoi:>Js, Tallahassee
School•of Math and Science, Orlando Science
Schools, Seminole •Science, Broward Math
and Science, Osceola Science, New Springs
Schools, Discovery Academy o~ Science all
use CESR for student information-services, as
well as Fulton Si::ience pri'late school (GA)'and
Green Charter School (SC).4
~
Empire ofDeceit: An lnvestiga11on of the GLilen Chaner School Network
Blue Ocean Construction: Blue Ocean
Construction is the pt'eferred construction
vendor for the Southeastern ·region. Like its
charter'customers, Blue Ocean also depends on
the H-1B program. Numerous schools through•
out the Rorida Gi.ilen charter network and the,
Southeastern region have utilized Blue Ocean for
construction work. Mf!'hmet Taskan, the owner,of
Blue Construction, also incorporated two Gulenist
chart~r '•boards in Florida,: Discovery: Education
Services and Universal EdLication Services:•11
E~ete Funding:,Several of.the Florida net~
works have received federal· E•Rate funds, but
the information regarding the vendors chosen is
unavailable. In light of the alleged,E·Rate fund~
ing fraud that is under investiQation by federal
authorities throughout the Gulen Organization,
the vendors chosen by the Florida networks
should be examined to determine whether they
are controlled by related Gi.ilenist parties.
Glllenist Cultural Foundations
The Atlantic Institute: The Atlantic liistitute
has branches throughout the Southeast·region.
It-promotes GUlen's teachings., and infer.faith
dialogue, and two of the Rorida.Network's land•
lords are currently listed on its governing board,
Naeem Haider and Yazan Khatib.41
Additionally,
it hosts dialogue dinners and trips to Turkey for
local politicians.
Istanbul Cultural Center: The Istanbul
Cultural Center has branches throughout Florida.
tt hosts Gi.ilenist inter.faith dielOQue dinners and
trips to Turk.ey.49
River City •Science founding
board member Akif Aydin is the former director
of the Center.
Amity Turkish CUiturai Center: .The
center iS a Gi.ilenist cultural center operated
by·Akif A'din, founding board member of River
City· Science Academy. It provides Gi.ilenist
culturiil outreach, diBlogue dinners, and trips
to Turk.ey.~0
., All of the following sd'lOOI websites contafl the langllage "Powered by Charter Eoucatilnal 5efvices &Resources," evuEncirg
the tie between CESR's Giilenist charter schoo customers, available at: http.//tinyurl.com/154sqwb (last dlE!Ckd 6/15/2017).
http.//tnyurl.com/mm9s22a (last checked 6/15/2017). http //tiny,Jrlcom/kofnlk4 (last checked 6/15/2017). http://tinyurlcom/
krphQs (last checked 6/15/20m http://tinyurl.comlk35Qx8y (last checked 6/15/2017). http-//tinyurlM/lke2m4c (tast checked
6/15/2017). http://l1nyurlcom/m2vKrlu (tast dlecked 6/15/2017). http.I/t,nyurl.com/lv23dcd (last checked 6/15/2017). http://
t,nyurl.com/kxth73J (last checked 6/151201,i http·//tinyurl.com/rfBc....:jJ (last checked 6/15/2017),
.. Discovery Education Services Articles of Incorporation, available at: http://tinyurl.com/ml8qjeh (last checked 6/15/2017);
U11iversal Education Services, corporate information available at: http://tinyurl,com/kwwpz7p (last checked 6/15/2017).
., Fethullah Gi.ilen bio on Atlantic lnstitute's website. available at: http://tinyurl.com/mvjxmo9 (last checked 6/15/2017)
.. Board of directors, avarlable at: http://tinyurlcom/1Ke4wq (last checked 6/15/2017)
" Istanbul Cultural Center website, available at: http://tinyurl.com/1vsrwvn (last checked 6/15/2017)
'° Corporate information, available at: http.//tin~urlcom/16dgujm (last checked 6/15/2017)
'"IS ll•IHl~l ,s 01~1~1auHD Si ~l.()JHn•1.1 & PARrn;k'., uro•1 ~'"AH Of lcC ViPU3llC Of TUH,,
AOOHIO'IAI I~! O~'>IAIIO'I IS Al'AII A3U: •I lc.C OCPAk!IJf~/1 01 !US llCC. WASrl'<filO~. DC
07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
"

,.
Received by NSD/FARARegistration·l:Jnit 07/27/2017 6:11 :32 PM
Empire at Deceit: An Inves11gatIon ot 1he GUIen Charter School Network
Individuals Caught in the Giilen Organization Web
It is quite common fo, the Gulen Organization
charter networks within a:,egion to shuffle their
Tlirkish H-18 visa teachers from school to school,
as well as between r~gions, This-is just a small
number of individuals •with these overlapping
ties throughout the region, which further.demon-
strates the region's interconnections. Notably,
this shuffling only occurs with Turkish ef!1ployees.
► Emro Akbaba: Science Teacher, Fulton
Science Academy High School/TEACH
{GA}; River City Science Principal,
New Sj)ring Science Elementary and
Middle-School·(FL); Prin<:ipal, Discovery
Academy of Science (FC).~1
► Serkan Gunplnar: Board Member,
Minnesota Math and;Science·Academy
(MN);iFounding Board: President, Sirius
foundation, Inc. - GUlenist cultural asso-
ciation (FL); Board Member, New Springs,
lnc.-(FL).~
► Yunu■ Aksu: ·Substitute teacher, Noble
Academy Clevelllnd (OH); Princip.i1,
Seminole:Science Charter School (FL);
Principal, New Springs Schools (FL).u
► Murat_Cetin:, Principal, Fulton Sunshine
Academy (GA); Principal, Osceola
Science Charter: Scho0I (FL).60
► Alaaddln Akgul: Science Coach &
Gifted Education consultant, CESA
(Southeastern); Dean, River.c~ Science
Academy (FL); Principal, River City
:science Elementary (FL);. Regional
Director, Science Olyrripiad (FL};
Principal, River City ·Science Mandarin
(FL)."
► AllOumu■: Four,derand Superintendent,
·LISA Academy·(AR); Principal, Memphis
School of Excellence (TN); Presenter,
Harmony Public Schools Conference
(TX); Principal, Broward. Math and
Science (FL). 511
► Oun Slpahloglu: Principal, 1
River
City Science Academy (FL);• Pacific
Technology School Orangeville {Magnolia
CA)Y
Information taKen from: Pinellas charter schools, available at: http.//tinyurtcom/m2q4z2I (last checked 6/15/2017): a;o,
available at: http://tinyur!com/m473l24 (tast checked 6/15/2017); Newsletter, available at: http://t,nyurlcom/lmz6yvs
(last checked 6/15/2017).
"' Information taKen from:· MMSA 990 forms, available at: http://tinyur1.com/kz4nkqg (last checked6/15/2017); F!or;da
Corporate Documents available at: http://tinyur!.com/mmj67c7 (last checked 6/15/2017): Florida Corporate Documents
available at: http://linyur!.com/l56cxns (last checked 6/15/2017)
"' Information taken from: Principal newsletter, available at: http://tinyurl.com/mquljva (last checked 6/15/2017); School
listing, available at: http://tinyurtcom/k3ptbng (last checked 6/15/2017). Employee credential search OH, available at:
ht1p:/ltmyurl.com/j7bxyhk (last checked 6/15/2017).
.. Information 1aken from: Orlan<io Science listing, available at: http://tinyurlcom/k3ptbng (last checked 6/15/2017}; and
Linkechn profile. available at: http://tinyurLcom/lp6m7dy (last checked 6/15/2017).
., Information taken from; Linkedin Profile, available at: http./ltinyurl com/I59zuql (last checked 6/15/2017)
"" Information taKen fmm: School listing, available at http.//tinyurl.com/jwszpod (last checked 6/15/2017); Linkedin profile,
available at: http://tinyurLcom/lm6o1dk (last checked 6/15/2017), Harmony schedule, available at: http://tinyurl.com/
I5g7p6f {last checked 6/15/2017); LISA Academy information. available at: http://tinyurl.com/jwg9ups (last checked
6/15/2017); Article re: Gumus, Harmony, and Giilen, available at: http;//tmyurl.com/k6f7y44 (last checked 6/15/2017).
"' Information taken from: Charter newsletter, available at: http://tinyurl.com/ksox4ns; Bood statement at A-8, available at:
ht!p:f/tinyurl com/k5pb7cf (last checked 6/1512017);
IHIS MA IHHAl IS DIS IislBUl ~ Ii IIY AMS! ER DAM & f'~H INf HS I LP ON BfHAl I Ill IHf Kf PUrll IC CI IUH sf I.
AVOIIIO~•! H!I O~l,!AIIO~ IS AVlllA~l; Al IH[ DEPARIIAtNI Of 1us11r,. w~~HFIGfOIJ, ~c
Empireof Deceit: An Investigation olthe GUIen Charter Schro Network
Notable Articles regarding the Florida Network
-Saacks, Bradley Joseph. U.S. schools caught
in Turkey's crackdown after attempted coup.
Bloomberg, September ·2, 2016. {Discussing
whether Florida ,officials will .open afo~al probe
into-River-City Science Academy in1Jacksonville
due to troubling financial connections). Available
at: https://tinyurl.com/k7o4i::tp2, {lilst checked
6/15/2017).
·MicolUcci, Vic. Charter schOOJ JeaiJers deny
ties to wanted Turkish rebel. WJXT News4Jax,
August 2, 2016. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/
n5xtpdw {last checked 6/15/2017).
Brown, Marina. Attempted coup in Turkey
sends shockwaves locally. T811ahassee Democrat,
July1
25, 2016. Available at: https://tinyurt.com/
lxmj43q {last checked 6/15/2017).
Sokol, Marlene. Landlord·sues North Tampa
charter school for. back rent. Tampa Bay Times,
July 25, 2016. (Discussing New Springs' failure to
pay rent). Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mes-
baaw (last checked 6/15/2017).
Aydin, Akif. First Coast Connect. WJCT News,.
July 19, -2016 (Radio Interview with Aydin dis-
cussing Gulen Movement and River City Science
Academy). Available at: https://tinyurl.com/
j2a7b8q {last checked 6/15/2017).
Benk, Ryan. Coup attempt highlights
Jacksonville connections to Turkey. WJCT News,
July 19, 2016. (Discussjng how Founder Aydin
would renounce his support of GUlen's phi-
losophy if it' was proven· he had a: hand in the
unsuccessful rev0tution). Availiible at: https://
tinyurl.com/hm2e5j4 {last checked 6/15/2017).
Amos, Denise· Sinith. More Rorida,charter
school audits·show signs of financial stress. The
Florida Times-Union, July 6, 2016. •{Discussing
how ,River .City Science .Academy· Innovation
experienced fund balance deficits). Available
at: https://tlnyurl.com/metddqa (last checked
6/15/2017).
Development today."The-Daity Record, June 1,
2016. {Discussing River City's use of Blue Ocean
Construction). Available at: tittps;//ti~yurl.com/
lky6ywe (last checked 6/15/2017),
Dickey, Will. lstaribul Cultural Center: The
Language and Culture Festival. The Florida
Times-Union, May 16, 2015. (Discussing River
City students performance of Turkish fo.lk danc-
ing· at the festival). Available·at: https://tinyurl.
com/lv8744k (last checked 6/15/2017).
Sokol, Marlene. New requirement reveals
struggles inside some Hillsborough charter
schools. Tampa Bay Tiines, October 15, 2014,
(Discussing how.half the faculty at New.Springs
are inexperienced, and· the school received. a
"D" rating). AV'ailiible at:- https://tinyurtcom/
mqhrwt6 {last checked 6/15/2017).
Stricklllnd, Sandy.. Galt Box: Resident wants
new grocery store for 'forgotten' Mayport area.
The t=iorida Times-Union , August 16, 2014.
(Discussing details of River City construction j0b
awarded to Blue Ocean Construction). Available
at! https://tinylirl.com/mk58jx1 {last checked
6/15/2017).
:Segal, ·Sabrina. Margate charter school jit-
ters. Margate News, August 11, 2013. (Discussing
Broward Math and Science and J)Otential ties
to Gulen). Available at: https://tinyurl.com/
mmfps87 {18st Checked 6/15/2017).
Jester, Erin. 3 'F's for elementary school. force
Sweetwater ACademj, to close. The Gainesville
Sun, August 7, 2013. (Discussing poor school
grades and financial trouble). Availableat: http://
tinyurl.com/zdvl4yr {last checked 6/15/2017).
!HIS Mi'HIIAI IS fll'llAHlUHO ~I ~MSlfllD~M & l';HJN[R5 (IP 0~ llfHAlf r:; !CE HFP:J~I IC 01 IU~r'eY
ADDIIIONAI IIHOeMAIIOfl IS AVAIi ABI r Al lei D1PSHIMfNI Of JUSIIU. WAS~INfdOIJ, DC
07/27/2017 6: 1:1 :32 PM
"

/--
•Received'by NSD/FARA Registration,Unit 07/27/2017 6:.Jl :32 PM
Quick• Facts
► Region: Midwestern
► SchoOI Naffies,(known as):
1> Horizon Science Academy
1> Math and'Science Academy
► Total # of Schools in State: 4
► Total Student Enrollment 2015-16; 21961
► Charter Holder/Governing Board(s}:
1> Chicago Math and Science Academy,
Inc.
Non-profit organization with ·501(c)
(3) -status, oversees Chic_ago M8th
and Science Academy:
1> Concept Schools NFP
Oversees·HSA-McKinley-Park, HSA
Belmont, HSA Southwest
► Charter Man~gement Services Vendor:
Concept Schools, Inc.
► Regional· Gi.ilen ·Organization Overs!Qht
Entity: Concept_Schools, Inc.
► Regional.Sister:Networks:-Horizon (OH);
Noble (ciH); ~ath and Science (IN); Math
and ,Science •(MN); Math and :science
EmptreotDecelt: An ln~stigation of the GUlen Charter Schro Nelwork
•{Ml); Gateway'(MO); Math- and Science
•(WI).
► Total Revenues for the- 2015-16 school
year: Approximately $22,827,2321
► Network Founders:
•I> Taner ·Ertekin: ,Established ·GuJenist
SChools in Thailand: -and Japan;3
Co-founder of first Horizon Science
Academies; founder of Concept
Si::hools;4
used'HSA Cleveland funds
to pay immigration. expenses for
his.wife;~ founder and president'.of
~reeze, Inc., Concept'S preferred
Gi.ilenist,landlord1entity;8
founder of
Chicago Math and Science Academy.'
1> Sedilt, Duman: Founder of Horizon
Science Academies;8
•Co-Founder
of Concept •Schools, lnc.;9
CEO of
Concept Schools, lnc;1
° Currently
being:investigatect:by the:FBI for his
role in purportedly.certifying fraudu-
lent forms to procure E:Rcite funding."
1> Salim Ucan: Founding Pr!ncjpal
Chicago Math and Science;12
Co-Founder of Concept SchOOls,
lnc.;13
·Founding board member for
Breeze Inc., for-profit Gi.ilenists
Student enrollment and demographic information available at http://tinyurl.com/lhvvo8r (last checked 4/19/2017)
Figure includes revenues from 2015-16 revenues for CMSA, available at: http://tinyurl.com/kx7zjm9 (last checked
4/23/2017); 2014-15 revenues for HSA Belmont, HSA McKinley Park. and HSA Southwest. available from a FOIA request
at: http://tinyurl.com/llrtsubt (last checked 4/23/2017)
Bond statement at A-23 describi~g Ertekin's involvement, aV<!ilable at: http://tinyurl.com/keaa5f5
(last checked 4/19/2017}.
Id
See, e.g., H_SA Cleveland 2002 audit, pg 24, where a finding was made against the school for paying the immigration
expenses of the spouses of sedat Dum,!n and Taner Ertekin, Concept's founders, ava1lable at http.//tinyurl.com/llpzg45
(last checked 9/8/2016).
2007 Breeze Inc. 990 form, availa~e at: http://t1nyurl.com/zj9xbzx (last checked 9/8/2016)
CMSA 990 tax documents listing Ertekin, ava,lable at: http://tinyurl.com/hdu6gbe (last checked 4/20/2017)
See Cor,cept Schools, Our Story narrative, available at: http://tinyurl.com/z6s23yh (last checked 9/6/2016),
See Concept Schools, Our Story narrati~. available at: http://tinyurl.com/z6s23yh (last checked 9/6/2016).
CEO's welcome, available at: http://tinyurl.com/k2ybgnm (last checked _4120/2017),
Search warrant. pg 22; available at: http://tinyurl.com/jt9j4ed (last checked 4/20/2017)
Linked1n profile, available at: http://tinyurl.com/tt6se6n (last checked ·4/19/2017)
See Concept Schools, Our Story narrative, available at: http://tinyurl.com/z6s23yh (last checked 9/6/2016).
IHIS MAit HiM IS DISIHIJUIEO Bl AMSIEfOAM & ~.;Hr~rns LlP ON 3ff1Alf Of THE l,fPU~LIC Of IUK~CI
AlllllrlCNA! INfO~MAIION IS A'AILA8LE .'[ IHf GCP~HlM!NI Gf J~SIICi, WAShlN[ I~~. IJC
07/27/2017 6:1.1:32 PM

Received·by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6: 11 :32 PM
EmptreotDeceit: An lrJl/esOga~on ol the GUIen Charte1 School Networ~
landlord for Concept Schools;1
• Vice
President of.Concept Schools,·tnc.;'~
currently Professional Development
coach for Concept.''
t> Engin Karatas, a.k.a. Engin
Blackstone: Co-founded Chicago
Math and Science Academy;•
Assistant Principal HSA Denison
Overview
Middle; Principal HSA Toledo;
Principal Quest Charter Academy;
Assistant Principal Wisconsin career
Academy;" visited Fethullah Gulen
at the ·Golden· Generation Retreat
Center with Concept· whistleblower
Mustafa Emanet;1
• Superiritendent
G81teway science Academy (MO).'a
As of the 2016-2017 school ·year, Illinois has
4 GUlen Organization-charter schools in opera-
tion. CMSA is overseen by its own incorporated
governing board, but the Concept Schools gov-
erning board directly controls and oversees
HSA McKiriley Park, HSA Belinont, and HSA
·Southwest. Ail 4 schools contract with,Concept
·Schools, Inc,. the charter management organiza-
tion responsible for the Midwestern region of the
GUlen Organization: charter network. Concept
allegedly provides additional educational man-
agement services for the charter schools for a
percentage fee of t0t8I school revenues.
r"ool
Chicago Math and Science
Academy
7212 N. Clark St.
Chicago, ll 60625
HSA'Belmont
5035 W.1
North Ave:
Chicego, ll 60639
HSA McKinley Park
2245 W. Pershing Ad.
Chicago, IL60609
HSA Southwest
640; 5. Western Avenue
Chicago,·IL60609
Clpenltlon,
Grades 6-12
2004-Present
•Grades K-7
(eventually
K-12)
2013-Presenl
Grades K~n
(~ventually
K-12)
2013-Present
Grades K-10
(eventually ·
:K-12)
2014-Present
Stildent Demographic
Information• ·
1~·swo
13% Ell
92.5% FAl
97.5% Minority
2.5% Caucasian
10.6o/oSWD
13.3% Ell
94.7% FAL
98.5% Minority
1.5% Caucaiian
9%SWD
25% ELL
83% FAL
95%'Minority
5% Caucasian
~4%SWO
24% Ell
95% FRL
99% Minority
1% Ceucasi&n
Authormi
Chicago
Public
Schools
Illinois State
Charter
School
Commission
Illinois State
Charter
SC:hool
Commission
Illinois State
Charter
School
Commission
Breeze Articles of Incorporation, available at: http://tinyurl.com/mlc5jc4 (last checked 4/20/2017)
linkedin profile, available at: http://tinyurl.com/lt6se6n (last checked 4/19/2017).
linkedin profile, available at: http://tinyurl.com/Jt6se6n (last checked 4/19/2017)
Governing - J
Chicago Science
and Math Academy
Inc.
concept Schools
NFP
Concept_Schools
NFP
Concept Schools
NFP
Interview with Engin Blackstone, available at: http·//tinyurl.com/mw9be~ (last checked 4/23/2017)
2015 letter from Mary Addi and Mustafa Emanet to OH legislature. ava,lab~ at:
http://tinyur1.com/meuup~ (last checked 4/20/2017)
linkedin profile, available at: http://tinyurl.com/lylm33o (last checked 4/25/2017)
IHS VAl:~•~l IS OISl~IBUIEU 81 AISHHW.I ~ Y'fil!i~HS lLP Oil >f~Alf 01 IHC HPU'lll[ □[ flJ~'.lY
,□□ IIIDNAL 1)lfOriMA!IO)l IS AVAILABLE AT !Hi DlHHlMt~l or JUSTICE, WAShlNUIOr;, DC
Received by NSD/FARA Registration 11nit
Empln at Deceit: An lnves11ga:100 ol the GUleri Charter School Network
School Operation StudentDemographic
. lrlfomiation•~
Autho~r ;1aove'1'1neBoart1
Former Concept-Managed
Charter Schools
Quest·Charter Acadf!my
2503 N University St,
Peoria, IL 61604
Grai:les's-12
•2010-Present
14.3% ELL
62%FAL
7.5%SWD
Peoria-Publlc
School
District 150
Peoria Charter
School Initiative Co
86%' MiOOiity
14% Caucasian
-Student demographic information was taken from the 2015-2016 school year.· ·swo·indicates stu-
dents with disabilities. •ELL" indicates_English language learners. "FRL" indicates students receiving
free/reduced lunch.le
A History of Strategic Ambiguity-
and-Conflicting Interests
After GUlen relocated to the Urlited,States in own charter sch00Is in Ohio and Illinois.
1999, his followers promptly formed non:profit
educational foundations end ,filed applications
for the first of the Gulen Organization's char-
ter schools throughout- the·country. Some of
the.earliest charter school efforts by-the Giilen
Organization took pt.Ice in the Midwestern region
orchestrated by a tight-knit group of Turkish
businessmen, ·led predominantfy by T.iner
Ertekin and Vedat Akgun. After forming the first
of the Horizon Science Academies in Ohio, these
Gulenists.formed Concept Schools to serve as
an external charter management·organization
that would oversee- the charter schools they
opened in throughout.the Midwestern reglon.21
Then, in 2003, Ertekln and Akg~n followed, up
by forming,Breeze Inc., a:tor-profit corporation
to serve,as the,Concept.schoolS' landlord.'2
In
2004, :the first of the Concept IL schools was
opened-Chicago Math and Science Academy
("CMSA"). Within four years, Ertekin, Akgun, and
their Gulerist colleagues created· a vertically
integrated:chain of businesses and vendors, all
feeding-upon 8,captive customer base of their
After CMSA, Concept did not attempt to open
another of its own schools until 2013. Before that,
however, Concept was-:hired by Quest,Charter
Academy to,provide charter management ser-
vices in 2010. Quest _was unique within the Gi.ilen
Organization as it was the only school under
Gulenist coritrol that was not directly. created
by GUlenists, nor·operatedjby a GUlenist gov-
erning board:ln 2009, community efforts within
Peoria to open a· STEM-charter schooi: began."
An application was submitted;for approval an~
granted in January of 2010. The governing board
then hired concept SchoOls· as· its mailage-
ment,partner shortly thereafter. As,a result, the
Quest governing board-was not controlled by
Gi.ilenists, although the school's administi'ation
was GUlenist since Concept controlled hiri~g
the administration. In 2015, the Quest governing
board and Concept "nlutt.ially agreed tO end their
contract:'24
The authorizer then renewed Quest's
charter has been operating independently
since.i-;
•• StLJdent enrollment and demographic information available at: http://tinyurl.com/k52paej (last checked 4/19/2017),
Concept Schools NFP corporate informat,on, available at: http://t1nyL1rl.com/zallyt7 (last checked 4/20/2017).
" Corporate information available at: hnp:/Jtinyu1tcom/kn9xUZ1 (last checked 4/20/2017).
» Quest history, available at: http://l;nyurl.com/m4awbgx (last checked'4/23/2017)
,. Id.
" Adams, Pam. Quest Charter Academy Approves Five-Year Plan, Peoria Journal Star, February 27, 2015. Available at:
http://tinyurl com/kqzxcc7 (last checked 4/2312017)
TC.IS !,IAHRIM IS ~IS!~IBUTEO rll AMSTfF,N',! ~ PAfil~E~S UPC~ ilf~Ail 01 1hC HPUBII( Of l~l'•CY
AUOITIGIIAI l~f0fiMA!l0'J IS AVAIi ABIE Al Jf,E OtPA~lMf~I OF IUSTICf WASHtir,rn~. OC
07/27/2017 6:t·t:32 PM
•

•
Received'by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/2017 6:11:32 PM
Empire of Deceit: An Investigation ofttie GUIen Charter School Network
In· 2013, Concept applied to: Chicago Public
Schools to open HSA Belmont and ·HsA
McKinley Park. Chicago Public,Schools denied
both applications, however, stating _that cMSA's
poor academic performance did not warrant
Concept's expansion. Con~pt then appealed
CPS's denials to the Illinois State Charter School
Commission, which approved -both charter
schools to. open under its management that
same year. The following·year, the Commission
approved a fourth Concept-managed school,
HSA Belmont, to open as well.
Concept's.most serious controversy·to date
is the ongoing FBtiinvestigation concerning the
purported collusion:of,concept employees-and
their vendors to defraud the federal E-Rate grant
program of millions of dollars." According to
the released FBJ's search warrant application,
Concept executives violated the competitive
bidding-rules of the E-Rate-program1by selec_t-
ing a vendor complicit with Concept's plans to
defraud E-Rate outside of the normal Procure-
ment process. Then, a_ccording to the search
warrant application, Concept's Chief Information
Officer directed that vendor to divert: hefty
•subcontracts" to affiliated Turkish individu-
als and companies in.exchange for a cut of the
proceeds. The actual work purportedly was per~
formed by Concept employees themselves, not
by the-complicit vendor w!lo was approved by
·E-Rate to provide the work, or the so-named
·Financial Issues
While Illinois requires its charter schools
to.undei"go:annual audits, these audits.are not
made publicly availcible without submission of a
companies and Turkish vendors for the subcon-
tracts.1' In ·2014, FBI agents raided numerous
locations throughout Illinois and Ohio, includ-
ing CMSA, Concept's regional offices, and the
offices of several Gulenist vendors..According
tO several sources, former Concept, executive
and Ohio Founder Ozgur Balsoy ·was one of
the fraudulently enriched Turkish vendors who
was raided.21
While Balsoy and his business
remains under suspicion in the FBI investigation,
Concept continues to give him and'.the other
Turkish-owned vendors named in the searCh
warrant application substantial business.''' The
investigation is ongoing.
Mustafa Emanet, a former H-1B employee
and GUlenist. provided interviews to the FBI
regarding his work as a network administrator
and teacher at HSA Toledo. He corroborated
that Concept purposefully used related ser-
vice providers who overcharged, just like all
of the-charter networks throughout the-GU.len
Organization.Jg Since his cooperation with
the FB1, Emanent and his wife who was also
employed with Concept, Mary Addi, have come
forward and provided information regarding the
forced-tuzuk payments and.tithing to the GU.len
Organization required of Turkish H-1B employ-
ees.J' Emanet also produced a copy of the tuzuk
agreement itself, whiCh is attached to this report
as Appendix_.
Freedom-of Information Act request. Requests
have been.madeJor these audits but;have not
yet been fulfilled.
" M,halopoulos. Dan and Seidel. Jon. Charter Firm Suspected of Cheating Federal Grant Prog,em, Chicago Sun-Times
(Aug. 9, 2016}. Available at: http.//t,nyurtcom/j3snbad (last checked 9/8/2016).
Search Warrant application available at: http://tinyurl.com/jt9j4ed (last checked 9/8/2076)
" See Id.; see a/so Miha!opoulos, Dan and Seidel, Jon. Charter Firm Su$pected of Cheating Federal Grant Program, Chicago
Sun-Times (Aug.9.2016). Available at: http://tinyurl.com/j3snbad (last checked 9/8/2016).
" See Mihalopoulos. Dan. Targeted firms StiN Get Tax Money After Chartet Raids, Chicago Sun-Times
http:/ltinyur1.com/jzmzevh (last checked 9/8/2016).
30
Search Warrant apphca11on, pg 44, available at: http://tinyurl.com/jt9j4ed (last checked 9/8/2016)
2015 Letter from Mary Addi and Mustafa Emanet to OH legislature. available at:
http://tinyurl.com/mezrup~ (last checked 4/20/2017)
IMIS !A!!kl~I l~ DISl~ldUl:IJ 1V ~>.!SER~~!,! & PAHTNfRS LLP c~ ~iHA(I or TH Vil'!ldllC Of mi;;[,
AOlll IIO~•.I INI OI' I.IAI IO~ 10 AVAIi A~I' AT l hf o: PAM IM Ein Of IUS IICl, '~~~rnGTWi, IJC.
Real Estate
One of.the most significant profit centers for
the Gulen ·Organization, and in particular the
Midwestern region, is through real estate. This
prope~y financing scheme has·been·replic.ited
throughout the-country-in_,fact, Vahap Uysal, a
board member"of Concept Schools," wrote and
presented an article entitled "Gulen Movement
and School Financing• at the Third Annual
Conference on Islam in the Contemporary
World: The Fethullah GUlen MOveinent in
Thought and Practice." Giilenists ~h,oughout
the country attended and presented, including
AIP Astandogan, former Harmony Public· Schools
landlord, CEO ofone Harmony's largest vendors,
property buyer :from Dove Sdence Academy,
and:GUlen's officiil spokesperson in his role as
President of the,Alliance for Shared Values, a
Giilenist cl!ltuial organization.i•
Early on, the founders of the Midwestern
region established Breeze Inc, as a for'.'profit
corporation to acq~ire properties for Concept
Schools throughout the- Concept network.1
~
New Plan Learning was created shortly there-
after, and now acts as the non-profit umbrella
organization for Breeze and several other wholly
owned su~sidiaries.:ie Murat. Afabaci,. a former
Concept employee,n has managed New Plan
Leaming and each of its subsidiaries since
2005.31 Together with its subsidiaries, New Plan
Leaming buys, renovates, leases, and some-
times sells properties to Concept-managed
schools, allegedly as a supporting organization
to those schools.
Effll!lreofDeceH: An Investigation of the Gulen Charier Schoel Network
Currently,· NE!w·Plan learning owns only orie
of the Concept IL properties-the Chicago Math
and Science Academy ("CMSA•)-though it
owns over a dozen other. Coiicept school prop-
erties throughout the Midwestern region. As
many of'the Concept 1
IL charter schools-have
opened wrthin the last five years, ·New f>tan
Leaming will likely seek to acquire more of these
new school properties over.time, as it did in Ohio
and.other states where.it is more established.
New Plan Learning's property dealings with
CMSA are,particularfy egregious, however, and
serve as a prime.d_einonstration.of the-appar-
ent self-dealing by Concept and its preferred
Gulenist vendors and the resulting exploitation
of GU!enist-controlled charter, schools.
CMSA.bought its·property in 2009!for"$10.4
million. Two.years later, CMSA sold.its building
to New Plan Leaming at a loss and entered into
a lease-back-arrangement. with extremely poor
terms. The Ieaseihad:a non-cancelcible term of
thirty-five years, with'annuaJ.rents ranging from
$1 million to ,$1.2 million set to increase each
year.n Over the.term of the lease,·CMSA WOuld
pay well over $40,million in rent'for a building it
once owned and'sold at a loss. The tease:back
agreement also.bound CMSA tO inclusion·in·a
$33 million educational facility revenue bond.
Of the $33 million· borrowed by NPL with this
bond, approximately $12,8 million was allocated
to CMSA for two purposes: l) to cover NPL's
purchase,of property from CMSA;for $10.2 mil-
lion; and·2) for NPL to construct a 9,775 square
"' See Concept Schools 990 tax form, available at: http://tinyurl.com/h5yvjlt.
,,, Conference was held Nov. 3, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas. and the conference agenda is available at:
http·//!inyurl.com/gt2vujs (last checked October 31, 2016)
'° See Texas profile for more informat,on about A!p Aslandogan
"' New Plan Leaming, Inc. 2011A Bond Offic:at Statement pg A-4, available at: http·//tinyurtcom/zxoauxp (last checked
9/6/2016),
'" New Plan Learning, Inc. 2011A Bond Off1c,al Statemen1 pg A-4, A-5, available at: http://tinyurl.com/zxoauxp (last checked
9/612016); see also Exhibit A for Property infofmation. including landlords. renL and transfer history for the faC,hties of the
Ohio Concept Schools.
See 2007 Concept 990 w,th Arabaci listed as employee. available at: http://tinyurl.comh9y361h (last checked 9/8/2016)
'" See Business profile for New Plan Learning; Inc. showing ,ts incorporation in 2005 and listing Arabaci as agent, available
at: http //tinyurl.com/hu2d6x7 {last checked 9/8/2016)
'" See CMSA 2012 audit, ;ivailab!e at http·/ftinyurl.com/h5xcob2 (last checked 11/23/2016)
ltilS MAliHIAl IS DISIFl:JUTlD ~l ASlif.DIM & PAtt!~fRS LLP 0~ R'tHAll GI Jtf f<fPU~liC" Of l~O,tl
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07/27/201J 6:11:32 PM

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Empire ofDeceit: An lnvestgatoo of The Giilen C11anei School Nerwor~
foot gym for up to:St.5 million.~0
This means that
CMSA'will pay upwards of $40 million in.rent in
exchange for the constr!Jction of a gym costing
less than $1.5 million,•• the approximate·price of
one year of CMSA's rent to NPL. CMSA's $40 mil-
lion in rent over the next three decades will pay
off the construction of.the gym in a little over. one
year,·NPL's mortgage on CMSA shortly thereaf-
ter, with the remaining decades of million-dollar
rents resulting in pure profit to NPL, a nonprofit
organization that cannOt le{:lally,profit off of its
charter school customers.
What is particular1y concerning about CMSA's
bad property deal with New Plan Leaming is
that Edip Pektas, CMSA's board·treasurer"and
president, was a paid business development
consultant for New Plan, Leaming during all of
the relevant.transactions.•' This was-an explicit
conflict of.interest.as Pektas was on-both sides
of the transaction and had a personal financial
interest in New_ Plan Learning. cin<fin fact:was
paid to help New Plan Leaming develOp busi-
ness, A few years later, fVhen Pektas was CMSA's
board president, New Plan Learning renegoti-
ated the lease-back agreement with even worse
terms, taking away the.school's ability to·bl!Y
back the ·property-anhe end of:the lease and
Bond Financing
In 2011 New Plan Leamingexpanded itscapital
significantly by applying for a bond for approxi-
mately $33 million doll.irs to purchase, refinance,
and/or renovate·four Concept-schools, CMSA
increasing the rent significantly,0
Pektas' loyalty
to New Plan Leaming. tiis employer, instead ofto
CMSA, cannot be doubted.
In our view, New Plan Leaming put CMSA at
an even greater disadvantage by hiring a related
Gulen-affiliated construction vendor, Quality
Buildi!rs,of Midwest, to· construct CMSA's gym.
CMSA's board·president Pektas·is also listed as
the registered agent.for Quality Builders, adding
another layer Of his:conflict of interest... Within
one year of construction,·the $1 million gym ~is-
played significant building issues, including
multif)le leaks in its roof, cracks in its foundation,
rodent problems, sanitary issues, and flooring
that peeled upward due to an improperly installed
bleacher system.'~ Despite these maj':)r concerns
with-the gym's construction, Quality Builders did
not provide repairs, and neither NPL nor Concept
covered the repairs' costs. CMSA was on the hook
per the terms.of its lease-back agreement to fix
the gym's issues, and could not rely on a warranty
with QU81ity Builders to'correct its building fl8ws.
The exploitation of CMSA·is a:prime:example of
the Giilen Organization's highly suspect property
scheme, which appears to enrich private Giilenist
interests in both money and property holdings, all
orchestrated et the tax payers' expense.
and three Concept OH schools--HSA Dayton
HS, HSA.Toledo HS, and HSA_Springfield.• Due
to their inclusion in the bond, these schools are
now:subject'to extremety·high annual rents in
40 New Plan Leaming, lnc.-2011A Bond Offic'al Statement pg 9, a11ailable at:
http://tinyurl com/zxoauxp {last checked 9/6/2016).
According to the p,oject information, the contract's price was listed as approximately $1 million. See project information,
a11a1lable at http://tanyurl.com/zwzk.r.y2 (last checked 11/11/2016)
., New Plan Leaming. Inc.- 2011A Bond Offic'al Statement pg A-6, a11a1lable at: http://linyurlcom/zxoauxp (last checked
9/6/2016); MihalopouQs, Dan. Lawyer.; fDr Turkey Call for Probe of Chicago Charter School. Chicago Sun-Times (Jan. 25,
2017). available at: http://tinyurl.com/jzmze11h (last checked 4/27/2016),
., See CMSA 2014 audit, pg 13 located at http://tinyurl.com/h37lko11 (last checked 11/11/2016).
.. Qual1ty,Bu1lde,s of Midwest corporate documents, available at: http://tinyurl.com/zal!yt7 (last checked 4/28/2017)
.. See Exhibit_ for a personal statement from CMSA's former athletic director regarding the quahty of the gym. P,ctures
are a11ailable online of the moisture damage and cracks in the gym's foundation. A concerned ci1izen documented these
issues on a blog post, a11ailable at: http://tinyurl.com/hjq4z1k {last checked 11/11/2016)
.. New Plan Leaming, Inc. 2011A Bond Offic,al Statement. a11ailab!e at: http.I/tinyurl.com/zxoau~p (last checked 9/6/2016~
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AODIIIONAL l~FOHMAIION IS AVAILA~!C ~1 !~[ DCP~~l'df~T □ I JUSTICe, WASHINGTO~. OC
non-cancelable leases set to expire in 2041."The
bond was issued'by the lndustri8I Development
Authority·of the.county:of Pima, Arizona, the
Empln ofDeceit: An 1nvest1ganon oltheGiilen Chartff School Ne1wo,~
same organization that issued bonds for both the
Sonoran (AZ) and Coral {NV) Giilen Organization
charter networks.•
Excessive Use of the H-1B Visa Program
•Like other Giilen Organization charter net-
works, Concept and their IL schools utilize the
H-1B visa program to immigrate,large numbers
of Turkish Giilenists, into the United· States for
employment in the schools and network. The
Concept:iL network filed between 200:-2S3'H-1B
applications from 2001~2016,·while Concept itself
filed between 176-197 H-1B applications during the
same time:period,"9'11 is difficult-to ascertain the
exact amount because Concept used a number of
slightly,different names for its entities when filing
H-18 applications. ·while.the Gillen Organization
typically states that these H~1Bs are:only to fill
shortage areas for math and science•teachers,
these applications were filed for such. positioos
as: Physical education teaChers, school business
managers,·administrators, English te~chers, net-
work administrators, accountants, and auditors.
Concept IL uses the same immigration attor-
neys to file,and·process their H-1B·applications
as other known Giilen Organizatioi, charter
networks, ·vendors, and cultural associations,
indicating once again the existence of an overall
network. For example:
► Remzi Kulen. Coocept IL used Kulen, a
New York-based attorney, to file numer-
ous H-1B. applications. Kulen also-filed
applications for:
., Id.
1> Concept Schools:{OH, IL, MO, IN, Ml,
MN)
1> Gateway (MO)
1> Pioneer (MA)
t> Niagara Foundatiora (IL)
1> Young Scholars (PA)
t> Gofden Generation Workshop Center
(PA)
1> Blue Ocean Construction {FL)
1> Academy-" of Science, Syracuse,
Buffalo (NY)
1> Arts and Science, Bergen, Passaic (NJ)"°
► David Nachman: Concept IL used
Nachman, a.New 'Jersey-based attorney,
to file H-18 applications.5
' Nachman-also
fited H-18 ~pplications for:
1> MilkyWay_Education Center (NJ)
t> Paterson Charter School for Science
and Technology (NJ}
► NuzhafHafeez: Concept IL schools used
Hafeez, an Illinois-based attorney, to file
numerous H-18 applications.!>Z Hafeez
also filed H-1B apj)lications for:
t> Conce~ Schools. Inc.
1> Niagara Educational Services; Inc. (IL)
1> Niagara Foundation (IL)
t> The Core Group (!L)
.. Pima County bond issuances, available at: http://t1nyurl.com/kards94 (last checked 3/30/2017)
'" In another example of strategic ambiguity, Concept and its scnools use 5ellel'al different wrsions of their names to malca ii
d.fflcult to aggregate how many H-18 applications they are fifog. The sum Iota! of aD of the Concepl IL schools fran 2001-2016
is between 200-253 aPP~ and the numbers suppon:ing that total are located at the following links: 1) CMSA. anywhere
from 24 H-lBs-60 H·1Bs. due to multf:)le names used. http://tinyurl.com/lc9pbuvy; http://1inyurkom/ny94qjd;http://hnyurl.com/
nJyywtit;'http://tinyurl.com/k8mz7aa: http:/ttinyurl com/l,r5v79. Concept filed between 176·197 H·18 appt,catiol'"tS 2001-2016
See http://tmyurLcom/jJwhatt for Concept Schools, Inc,: http.//tinyurl.com/zhgxJxl for Concept Schools Nip.
,. List of entities represented by Remzi Kulen, 811a1iable at http://tinyurl.com/gptwx5x (fast checked 3/21/2017)
Nachman p1ofile listing entities rcp<esented fol" H-1B 11isa WOik. a11ailable at
http://tinyurl.com/ny5h3ty (last checked 4/13/2017)
"' Hafeez profile listing entities represented for H·lB 11isa work, available at:
http;//tinyurl.com/m11ntta11 (last checked 4/13/2017).
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07/27/2017 6:1,1:32 PM
•

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Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 07/27/201•7 6:11:32 PM
Empire of Deceit: An ll1lestigat100 of the GiJlen Charier Schoo ~eTWOrk Empireol Deceit: An 1nves1igat1on oltlle GUlen Charter Scilool Network
Scandals, Investigations & Notable Activities Notable Turkish Vendors
In 2011, CMSA non-Gulenist employ~es com-
plained to the•American Federation of Teachers
C'AFT")'regarding CMSA and COncept's·exces-
sive use of the H-1B ~ram to hire unqualified
Turkish-teachers and discriminatory preferential
pay to Turkish employees. The AFT presented
these complaints ·to the U.S. Department of
Labor, who initiated an·investigation-that is still
ongoing.5.JThe Department of Labor had already
been investigating-a-Horizon Science Academy
in Ohio due to a July 2008 complaint by Mustafa
Emanet regarding the forced tithing payments to
Concept.""
In 2010, CMSA principal Ali Yilmaz fired a
teacher who was eight,months' pregnant at"the
time.!,!, The teacher had been involved in estab-
lishing-a union for CMSA.employees,:and,prior
to her.efforts to organize the staff, she'd received
performance bonuses and had her contract
renewed. CMSA spent extensive resources
fighting its·teachers' union organization:efforts.
CMSA ultimately settled with the teacher in 2011
for the wrongful termination, and;no union was
formed on campus.
In 2015, two.Arizoria Membei's of Congress,
U.S. Represeritative Raul Grijalva and U.S.
Representative Ruben Gallego, wrote letters
urging the U.S. Oepartmerit of Education and the
Government Accountability Office respectively
to urge an investigation of charter schools affili-
ated with Giilen. These letters weresent in li9htof
the recent raids of the Concept Schools network
located in Ohio, lllinois,-and ·other Midwestern
states-for suspected defrauding of the-federal
E-Rate program. by Concept's Turkish•adminis-
trators and vendors,:Both Grijalva and Gallego
were concerned about the connections between
Concept and•the Sonoran,networit in Arizona
uncovered_ by· investigative journalisms at· the
time and asked for a thorough investigation.r..
Spotlight: Friends ot·Giilen Mike Madigan
Michael Madigan is the Speaker of the Illinois
State House of Representatives, a title he has
held• for the last three decades. Madigan has
extensive ties with Concept Schools and the
Niagara Foundation, and has taken at least
four trips.to Turkey coordinated,by the,Niagara
Foundation.~1
Madigan created the Illinois
Charter School Commission, the authorizer
·of three of Concept's four charter schools in
the state, though ·the Commission states that
Madigan, did not pressure the Commission to
approvethe applicationstor either HSA McKinley
Park or HSA Southwest.u Madigan has also vis-
ited CMSA's campus, speaking highly of the
school and its leadership, and his son, Andrew
Madigan; provides insurance services to CMSA,
HSA.McKinley Park, and HSA Southwest.!,i
"' Saul, Stephanie. Charter Schools Tied to Turkey Grow in Texas, The New York Times {June 6. 2011), available at:
http.l/t,nyurl.com/3ua255n (last checked 4/23/2017)
"' Feds Question Schools' Visa Use, The Columbus Dispatch (May 20, 2011), ava,lable at
http://tinyurl.com/m2ssl9h (last checked 4/23/2017)
"" Lydersen. Kari. Firing of pregnant Chicago teacher becomes battle over charter school unioniiation. In These Times
{A"ugust 9, 2010) A...ailable at: http://tinyurl.com/jqytnct
"" Representative Gnjatva's letter is available at: http://tinyurl.com/hnhcbq5 (last checked 3/14/2017), Representative
Gallego's letter is available at: http.//tinyurl,com/z)'fhf3u (last checked J/14/2017)
Article discussing Madigan's involvement with Concept, available at pg 107-08
http://tmyurl.com/m9fmvo4 (last checked 4/22/2017)
.. Id.
'" Id.
fMIS l,IAl/~IAI IS DISIKl~UlfU di AMSlfRDAM ! PAMr1E~S llP LI~ AihAlf or IH REPURIICCI ltJR•fl
'0011 IONAL IIH Ol'I.IAI IV~ IS ~VAil ~61 ~ AI I~f LllPA~ IME ~ J [II /IS IICE, ~IAStlll!G l(lrl, ~C
► Concept Schools, Inc. Concept is a com-
pfehensive services vendor that controls
human resources, fiscal management,
school design, curriculum, accourit-
abili~y. compliance, and reporting tor a
twelve percent fee·of each schoot's·total
revenues. Currently, Concept'is the con-
tracted nonprofit management services
vendor for thirty such charter schools,
with seventeen schools in.Ohio, four in
Illinois, three in Missouri, three in Indiana,
one in Michigan, one in Wisconsin, and
one in Minnesota.110
The founders of the
first OH charter schools in the GUlen
Organization formed Concept shortly
thereafter.
► Breeze lnc./New ·ptan Leaming: Breeze,
lnc.,-was created in 2004 as a for~p,ofit
corporation to acquire properties for
Concept Schoolsthroughout the Concept
Network.8
' New Plan·Learning was cre-
ated shortly thereafter, and now acts as
the non-profit umbrella organization for
Breeze and several other wholly owned
Ohio-based subsidiaries (250 Shoup
Mill LLC, OG-Ohio-LLC, NOG-Ohio LLC,
and 2350 Morse LLC).11 Together with its
subsidiaries, New Plan Learning buys,
renovates, leases, and-sometimes sells
properties to Concept-managed schools,
allegedly as a supporting organization to
those schools.
► Quality Builders of Midwest: Quality
Builders is a Gillen-affiliated construc-
tion company·that does the majority of
Concept and•NPL's construction work.113
several Of Quality Builders' GUlenist
employees have worked a! Concept and
its schools, _as well as at other char-
ter networks throughout the GUlen
Organization.
► The Core Group: The Core Gi'oup, owned
by Ertugrul Gurbuz; is curre~tly underfed-
eral investigation as one of the vendors
Concept used purportedly to defraud
the:E-Rate:program.°" The company and
its subsidiaries have received:over$3.2
million dollars from Concept schools.05
The Core:Group atso-provided•uniforms
to the Fulton· Science (GA} network at an
excessive cost and amount, as noted by
the forensic audits prior to the network's
termination.•
► Advanced Solutions for Education:
Advanced Solutions for Education,
owned by former Concept, employee
Ozgur Balsoy, is also· implicated in the
ongoing FBI investigation regarding the
purported defrauding of the E:Rate pro-
gram,97 The company served as an E-Rate
funding consultant to the schools.
ec See Concept Schools network, available at: http://tinyurl.C(Jm/zJd8qsb (rast checked 8/26/2016).
New Plan Leaming, Inc. 2011A Bond Offic.al Statement pg A•4, available al:
http://tinyurl.com/noauxp (last checked 9/6/2016)
., New f'lan Leaming, Inc. 2011A Bond Offtc,al Statement pg A·4, A·5, available at http://t1nyurl~om/zxoauxp (last checked
9/6/2016): see also Exhibit A for Property inlo.-mation. including landlords. rent, and transfer history for the facilit,es of the
Ohio Concept Schools
63
see proiect information, available at http.//tinyurl,com/zwzkxy2 (last checked 11/11/2016)
"' See M,halopoulos, Dan. Tsrgeted Firms Still Get Tax lt,l(Jney After Charter Raids, Chicagci Sun"Times
http://tinyurl.com/jzmzevh (last checked 9/8/2016)
.. Id.
66 See Georgia profile, see also Georgia Forensic Audit of GUlen•aff1l·ated Charle, Schools (June 1, 2012), at 17•25, available
at http·//bit.ly/1TATHiy,
., See M,halopoulos, Dan. Targeted Firms Still Get Tax Mone¥ After Charter Raids, Chicago Sun-Times
http://tinyurl.com/jzmzevh (last checked 9/8/2016)
H•IS tAlE~IAL IS lll~JA1au1rn ~· AM',fi,k0'"-' ~ l'A~r~rns ll~ o·i BiHAll Uf lH RfPUOll( Of TUHEI
AODI rIONAI INf (/f !AIION IS AVAIL ARl E ~I Int Df PA~ l~EN I Uf IUS [ICE, WAS~ING TOIi Dl
07/27/2017 6:1:1:32 PM
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Empire of Decett: An lmesllganoo of the Glflen Charle! School NelWOfk
Gillenist Cultural'Foundations
► Niagara Foundation: The Niagara
Foundation is a major·Turkish GOlenist
cultural: association based in Chicago.
GUlen is its honorary president.611 Niagara
Educational Services, Inc., oversees both
the.Niagara Foundation and the Science
Academy of Chicago, a1private GOlenist
school. In 2007,-the Niagara_·Foundation
gave an extensive loan to Breeze Inc.
(New Plan Learning's predecessor) to
purchase new properties :for Concept
charter schools.99
Several Concept
employees as well as school'employees
are members of the Niagara·Foundation.
Niagara provides free/low-cost trips to
Turkey for-legislators, as·well as·t,osting
dialogue dinners and fundraisers.'°
Individuals Caught in the•Gillen Organization Web
It is quite common for the GUlen Organization
charter networks within a region to shuffle
their Turkish,H-18.visa teachers from,school to
school, as·well as between-regions. This-is just
a small:number of individuals with these over-
lilpping ties throughout the region, which further
demonstrates. the region's interconnections.
Notably, this shuffling:only occurs with Turkish
employees.
►. Aydin Kara: Teacher, Director at HSA
Columbus;11
· Director for HSA Cleveland
MS;n Principal for Chicago Math and
Science Academy (IL);n Director for
HSA Triledo;14
Author for The Fountain,.a
known GUlenist magazine/~
► Ali•Kuran: ·Teacher, Dean HSA·Columbus
(OH);"' f>rincipal HSA Dayton Elementary
(OH);" proposed Principal for Indiana
Math and Science·Academy South (IN);"
Principal Quest Charter Academy (IL);19
Princip.il, CMSA (IL),80
► Ahmet Ozarslan: Board member·Fulton
Science (GA};" Quality Builders of
Midwest - GOien-affiiiated. construction
vendor (Midwestern region);12
► Levent Elibal: Employed at Ramson
Contractors - Giilenist construction
vendor (Western region);83
Quality
Builders of Midwest - GUian-affiiiated
"" See http://www.magarafoundation.org/ for information about the Niagara FoUndation and
http://tinyurlcom/d8tlv5c for Information about Gillen as Honorary President (last checked 9/612016}
"' Aud,t available at: http.l/tinyurl.com/haos4qu (last checked 9/8/2016)
For a destription of a legislator's trip to Turkey with the Niagara Foundat,on, see;
http://linyurl.com/m kfando (last·checked ·412012011),
http://tinyurl.com/mkvkmgs (last checked 4/2012017)
http·//1inyur1.com/m6obc3h (last checked 4/20/2017).
CMSA 990 tax forms 2012·2015, available at; http.//tinyurl.com/hdu6gbe (last checked 4/2012017).
Director's message, available at: http://t1nyur1.com/kcc8v4S (last checked 4/20/2017)
http.//tinyurl.com/lzJbwoz {last checked 4/20/2017)
Bio available at: http://tinyurl com/15h956w (last checked 4123/2017)
Press release listing Kuran as Principal available at: http://t1nyurl.com/lhgbatn (last checked 4/23/2017)
Petition available at: http://tinyurlcom/mej56l8 (last checked 4/23/2017}.
Anicle quoting Kuran as pnncipa~ available a1: http://tinyurlcom/ne6dwhy (last checked 4/23/2017).
"" Sthool information, availa~e at: http://tinyurl.com/mwkpu9I (last checked 4/2312017).
See Fulton Educational Services 990 tax forms. available at http://linyurl.com/zxtjkrm (last checked 11/23/2018).
Ozarslan was on the board from 2007-2010
t;l See Unkedin profile for Ahrnet Ozarslan, available at: http://tinyurlcom/jdrhk34 (last checked 11/23/2016).
.., See Linkedin profile for Levcnt Elibat available at hnp:/ltinyurlcom/zu3r3nv (last checked 11123/2016i
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A~IIIIQNAL INFO~ldAIION 15 AIAllA~LE AF I H! D!PAkl Mt NI 0! l!ISIICl. WAS~l~G!ON UC
construction vendor (Midwestern
region);.. Director of Purchasing Concept
Empire otoecett: An lnvestIga1100 o! the Gulen Charter School Network
(Midwestern region);a.. Indiana Math·and
Science Academy (IN).•
Notable Articles regarding the Illinois Network
► Mihalopoulos, Dan. Targeted Firms
Still ·Get Tax Maney After Charter Raids,
Chicago Sun-Times http://tinyurl.com/
jzmzevh,
► Co~en, Rachel M. The National Labor
Relations Boardsays charterschool teach-
ers are private emj;,/oyees. The American
Prospect. (~eptember·B, 2016) AvaitablEl
at: http://tinyurl.com/joesxk2.
► Torres, Louie, Teacher Accuses Chicago
Charter Schaal of Sexual Harassment,
Cook County Record (May 9, 2016)
Available at: http://tinyurl.com/hvo72py.
► MihalopoulOS, Dan. Federal funds for clout
school operator despite probe. Chicago
Sun-Times. (May 1; 2016) Available at:
http://tinyurl.com/jmy8web.
► Adams, Pam. Quest Charter Academy
Approves Five-Year Plan, Peoria Journal
Star, FElbruary 27, 2015. Available at:
http://tinyurl.com/kqzxcc7 (last-checked
4/23/2017).
► Mihalopoulos, Dan and Seidel, Jon,
Charter Firm Suspected at Cheating
Federal Grant Program, Chicag~ -Sun-
Times (December 16,·2015). Available at:
http://tinyurl.com/j3snbad.
.. Id.
• Id
• Id
► Ravitch, Diane. Concept Schools in Ohio
Import Large Numbers of Turlrish Teachers
for Giilen Schools. (October 14, 2014)
Available at: http://ti~yurl.com/hcy34t9.
► Livingston, Doug, Auditor Joins
Investigation of 19 Charter Schools, Akron
Beacon Joumal.'(JulY 17, :2014) ,Available
at: http://tinyurl.com/hevz2h8.
► Livingston, Doug. former Teachers
at Turkish-run charter school all(!ge
test-cheating, discrimination, sexual activ-
ity, Aki'on Beacon Journal (July 15,·2D14)
Available at: http://tinyurl.com/zsdkk35.
► Karp, Sarah. Concept'Charter SchClals get
a green light. Catalyst Chicago. (April 22,
2013) Available at: http://tinyurl.com/
jag6699.
► Strauss, Valerie. Charter school ruled
private entity for labo; relations. The
Washington Post. ,(January 4, 201~)-
Available at: http://tinyurl.com/hhrn5jv.
► Lyderse"n, Kari. Firing ofpregnant Chicago
teacherbecomes battleavercharterschool
unionization. Iii These Times. (August. 9,
2010) Avail8ble at: http://tinyurl.com/
jqytnct.
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Quick Facts
► Region:-Midwest Region
► School Names (known a~):
t> ·lndiana·Math and Science-Academy
("IMSA'.)
-► Total # of Schools in State: 3·charter
schools currently open, 1school to close
at the end of the 2016-17.schOOI year'
► Total Student Enrollment 2015~16: 1,4761
► Charter Holder/Governing Board{s):
t> Indiana· Math and Science Academy
- Indianapolis Inc.
(3) status
Operates 1 charter school t•IMSA
West")
t> Indiana Math and Science Academy
- North Indianapolis
Organized as a non-profit with 501{c)
(3) status
Operates 1 charter school ("IMSA
North")
t> Indiana Math and Science Academy -
South Indianapolis Charter School, Inc.
(3) status
Operates 1 charter school ("'IMSA
South")
► Charter Management. Services Vendor:
Concept Schools
Emplr1 of Deceit: An lmes119w;,1 olthe GIJlen Charter SchOO NeIwork
► Regional Gulen Organization Oversight
Entity: Concept Schools ("Concept")
► Regional Sister Nehvorks: Math and
Science (IL); Horizon•(lll); Horizon.(OH);
Noble (OH); Math, and Science (MN);
Math and Science (Ml); Gateway (MO);
Math and Science (WI),
► Total Revenues for the 2015-16 school
year: $14,419,4903
► Network i:::ounders:
t> Gultekin •John" Aytekin: Teacher,
Wisconsin Career Academy (WI);
Teacher/Director, HSA Columbus
·(OH); ·Founding Principal, Indiana
Math and Science Academy (IN);
·Superintendent for Concept (IN);
Implicated in alleged de4
frauding
of the E~Rate program and cur-
rently under investigation by the·
FBI; .Director of Accountability for
Concept.•
t> Numan'Koca: Founder, IMSA; lncor-
porator, The Holy Dove Foundation
(iiow known as TurkiSh American
Society of Indiana, lnc.);5
manager of
Guven Transportation (Turkey); man•
ager of Polen securities (Turkey);
CEO of Elvan, LLC (TX and 1N);_ Pur-
chasing manager at Bio-Botanical
Labs (Canada);.real·estate S8Iesper•
son for Century 21 (Csnada).'
Vic Ayckaert, Low Enrollment Leads to Indianapolis Charter School's Closure. USA Today (Feb. 7, 2017}, ava,la~e at:
http://tinyurl.com/kdb6sf2 (last checked 4/17/2017).
Student er1rollment and demographic information a...aBab!e at: http //tinyurl.com/mbo5ens (IMSA - West);
http://tinyurl.com/l6jvtto (IMSA North); http://t1nyurl.com/jvhi9J6 (IMSA - South) (last checked 4/17/2017)
Figure includes revenues ol lMSA North. IMSA Sou1h;a11d IMSA West audits available at
http.//tinyurl.com/k4mmupk (last checked 4/19/2017).
Informalkin taken from: Resume avafable pg 99 at: http://tinyurlcom/mytqkaj (last checked 4/19/2017); Linkedin Profile
available at: http://tmyurl.com/mf.1p3y2 (last checked 4/19/2017); Search Warrant application, pg 40, available at:
http://tinyurlcom/jt9j4ed (last checked 9/8/2016)
Corporate documents in Indiana ere available et http://tinyurl.com/mmy5t79 (last checked 4/19/2017)
Numan Koca. Linkedln, available at: http./ltinyurl.com/kg~hw (last checked 4/19/2017).
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