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One of the descendants of the last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI (Vahdettin) has become the victim of a high-profile theft in Istanbul. Mesude Evliyazade, a lawyer and spiritual consultant, reported that a 43-year-old live-in assistant hired through a trusted agency made off with millions of liras worth of valuables from her luxury residence in Sarıyer.
Among the stolen items were priceless Ottoman-era jewels, including pieces inherited from Ulviye Sultan, daughter of Sultan Abdulhamid II.
Evliyazade welcomed the assistant into her home on Feb. 4, 2025. At first, small items like clothing, handbags, and shoes began disappearing. Believing the losses to be accidental, she did not raise suspicion.
However, the thefts escalated. The assistant allegedly expanded her scheme, targeting historical jewelry passed down through the generations of the Ottoman royal family.
According to initial reports, the stolen items include:
The total value of the stolen items is estimated at ₺11.65 million—equivalent to over $300,000.
Evliyazade noticed the larger theft about a month after the assistant was hired. She immediately filed a complaint with local authorities, prompting a swift investigation by the Anti-Theft Bureau of the Istanbul Police Department.
The investigation revealed that the stolen items had been passed to the assistant’s daughter, identified as S.N.S., who allegedly attempted to sell them.
Security footage and other evidence led police to conduct a coordinated raid, during which both the suspect, identified as T.C., and her daughter were apprehended.
Authorities recovered 79 pieces of luxury clothing, bags, and home accessories in Istanbul. An additional 20 items were found in the city of Izmir.
T.C. has since been taken into custody and formally arrested. Her daughter, S.N.S., has been released on judicial supervision pending further investigation.
While many luxury items have been recovered, the fate of the Ottoman diamonds remains unclear. The most historically significant piece—the Ulviye Sultan bracelet—is still missing.
Evliyazade, known both for her legal expertise and spiritual guidance, has called for intensified efforts to track down the remaining artifacts, which she describes as “irreplaceable legacies of Ottoman heritage.”
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