On the orders of the Authority’s chief, Charalampos Vourliotis, a multi-layered and extensive investigation will be conducted, scrutinizing the financial records of employees holding key positions in urban planning offices across Greece. The independent authority’s investigation will not be limited to urban planning employees and executives — it will also extend to their relatives.
A broad, exhaustive and multi-layered investigation
As part of the extensive, multi-layered investigation to be conducted by the Authority’s competent teams, tax returns will be scrutinized in detail, along with asset declaration statements for those legally required to submit them. Investigators will also examine when declared assets were acquired and whether their acquisition can be justified by the individuals’ reported income. In addition, any third parties who may have played a role as accomplices in the movement of illicit funds will also be investigated.
“This is, by its very nature, an enormous investigation that will take a considerable amount of time. However, the goal is to conduct an in-depth review of individuals serving in key positions in order to determine whether any corrupt officials may have committed a money laundering offense,” competent sources emphasized.
For each urban planning office where the review is completed, a separate report will be drawn up if indications of wrongdoing are found. Should there be evidence of a criminal offense, the report will be forwarded to the competent prosecutor for a preliminary money laundering inquiry, while any suspect assets will be frozen.
In fact, with regard to those currently in pretrial detention in connection with the latest criminal case involving the urban planning offices of Kifissia and Marousi, Charalampos Vourliotis has already identified real estate properties and cash, and has issued orders to freeze them.
Meanwhile, developments are also unfolding in two other cases. The first involves, according to sources, a pharmacist in the northern suburbs of Athens who was recently arrested and subsequently released, as the Authority identified cash amounting to €2.5 million.
The second case relates to an adulterated olive oil trafficking scheme, with estimated damages to the state reaching €3.5 million. According to the same sources, the Authority identified more than ten properties, numerous vehicles and a safe deposit box at a bank, all of which have also been ordered frozen.
