Akis had set up a criminal ring!

In order to launder illegal proceeds, a criminal group had been set up - according to prosecutors - by former Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos!

In the 103 pages of the findings available to protothema.gr, there is a description of an offshore companies network, which had been established by relatives and close associates of Mr. Tsochatzopoulos, trying to cover their tracks from the bribes the former minister had been receiving for arms programs.

With a compass principle of “follow the money”, the magistrates were able to reconstruct the labyrinthine paths of the money that was paid by the Greek people in order to buy arms which were supposed to enhance our defense but unfortunately, according to the prosecutor, part of it returned to Greece as a bribe for Mr. Tsochatzopoulos’ services…

Intermediaries, real estate transactions reflected in the actions of movies with illegal acts, virtual sales of apartments, false names, “sale and lease back” methods in order to launder money, hiding property and a multitude of offsenses are described in gruesome detail in 103 pages of findings by the prosecution.

Prosecutors are charging Mr. Tsochatzopoulos with the offenses of “money laundering, and repeated passive bribery, persistently and serially”.

This is what state prosecutors Kivelou and Siskou uncovered in the actions of the Tsochatzopoulos group, which acted with the sole purpose of obtaining income and wealth. Besides the former minister, a key part in the group was played by Tsochatzopoulos’ cousin, Nikolaos Zigras, accountant Efrosini Lambropoulou, who appeared to be representing some of the offshore companies, and businessmen Asterios Economides and Giorgos Sachpatzidis.

In conclusion, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos had:

“From May 1998 until 7/6/2001 concealed assets totaling 16.202.000 swiss francs and 1.748.00 USD, which were the product of the same own passive corruption concerning the TOR M1 armament programs”. The reference to the contract and its signing is characteristic:

“It is obvious that the signing of the contract and the convention of offsets could not be attained without the former defense minister having been paid substantial sums of money”

“On 2/12/2002 he concealed assets totaling 2960225 swiss francs in contracts concerning the Archimedes and Poseidon 2 (submarines) (illegal payment through MIE by FERROSTAAL)”.

According to the findings, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos used the bribe funds to buy:

- a 402 sq.m. maisonnette in Kolonaki through an offshore account on 1/6/1998 (which he then virtually sold to Asterios Economides, who then transferred it to Areti Tsochatzopoulos).

- a house on Dionysius Areopagite street on 29/11/99

- a room of 964 sq.m. on Kifissias Av. on 18/11/99
 
- 1000 sq.m, on Kifissias Av. on 18/11/99
 
- 22 parking spaces at the above address
 
- property in Kipseli on 17/2/2000
 
- 60-sq.m, apartment in Kipseli on 28/6/04

- On 24/01/07-2010 he sold the property on Kifissias to Vatopedi for over 6 million, which he put in the financial sector. "

From the judicial inquiry it is concluded that Mr. Tsochatzopoulos, though he endeavored to cover his tracks, acted as the owner of the real estate.

He was indifferent to the state laws!

In a harsh manner, the prosecutors claim that the former minister did all he could to evade taxes. Among the documents seized is a handwritten note on the “Economic analysis and bid management of accounts where there is profit from his tax evasion (76k euros) which is part of the total amount of VAT owed for work amounting to 560000 euros”.

According to the report: “The above letter is typical of the perception of the persons on the observance of the rule of law and order, even if it pertains to a small benefit”.