Turkish man arrested for visa fraud after posting images claiming Trump administration work
Melih Göğebakan, a Turkish national, was arrested on July 28, 2026 by ICE and the U.S. Secret Service after allegedly overstaying his visa for approximately seven years and falsely claiming to be an advisor to President Trump. He reportedly posted images on social media purporting to show him in the White House and an AI-generated image depicting himself with Eric Trump promoting the Trump Hotel Dubai.
What happened
Melih Göğebakan, a Turkish national, was arrested on July 28, 2026 in a joint operation by ICE and the U.S. Secret Service. According to a White House official, Göğebakan had overstayed his visa for approximately seven years, having entered the United States legally on June 11, 2019 with permission to stay until December 10, 2019, but remaining in the country without legal status thereafter.
Göğebakan posted images on social media claiming to work as an advisor to President Trump. His Facebook posts showed him at the White House with an access card resembling a visitor or press pass, claiming to have spent days working there on behalf of the Trump administration. A LinkedIn image described as AI-generated depicted Göğebakan alongside Eric Trump while promoting the Trump Hotel Dubai project.
Reported impact
The White House's social media accounts were tagged in Göğebakan's posts. The presence of the U.S. Secret Service in the arrest operation suggested the matter extended beyond visa violations.
Index analysis
Göğebakan's social media posts created an apparent contradiction with his actual immigration status. The posts were published more than six years after his legal authorization to remain in the United States had expired.
Governance controls
A White House official told Türkiye Today that Göğebakan would receive full legal process and remain under ICE custody pending deportation proceedings. However, the official did not respond to questions about how someone without legal status gained apparent access to White House grounds or whether access cards were reviewed and revoked.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.