He Aimed to Silence His Political Rivals

A series of leaked telephone conversations posted on social media purported to reveal corruption by Mr. Erdogan and his inner circle. In the most sensational recording , Mr. Erdogan, worried about an investigation by prosecutors into real estate deals that had already ensnared the sons of government ministers, allegedly tells his son to get rid of tens of millions of dollars from his home.

He said the recording was a fake, and he blamed his former ally, Fethullah Gulen, an influential Muslim cleric who lives in exile in Pennsylvania , for trying to bring down his government.