A chief Turkish prosecutor initiated an investigation Tuesday on alleged audio recordings linking Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to corruption, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier this week, alleged audio recordings of the PM speaking with his son about "disposing vast amounts of cash" amidst corruption investigations circulated and went viral on the Internet, leading Erdogan to make a public statement denying his link to the recording and suggesting that the tape was fabricated.
The tape features two voices who discuss disposing of large amounts of money "from an undisclosed residence."
It is not yet clear if the Turkish prosecutor's investigation is to solely focus on the recording's authenticity or represents the start of a larger case against the PM.
Turkey's main opposition, the Republican People's Party, has claimed to have already "verified the authenticity of the recordings" through several channels and have called on Erdogan "to resign or flee (the country) by helicopter."
The PM has responded to the opposition saying that the recording is blashphemous and a conspiracy to "bring [the] government down."
"This is a treacherous act against the prime minister of Turkey," Erdogan added.
The recordings are from an alleged Dec. 17 meeting between three Cabinet ministers' sons who were detained during the country's recent policy corruption and bribery probe.
