The testimonies of those arrested in connection with the criminal network case have been ongoing since early morning. The group allegedly used illegal software to defraud consumers at 20 fuel stations in Attica.
Rigged gas station pumps: 4 network members detained
Following a lengthy investigative process, the first detentions have been announced by the investigating judge and prosecutor for the criminal network that allegedly used illegal software to defraud consumers at 20 fuel stations in Attica. So far, of the eight defendants who have testified, four were ordered into pretrial detention while the rest were released under restrictive conditions. Case by case, conditions included mandatory reporting to police stations and bail payments of 10,000 euros. Testimonies continue for the remaining five defendants, expected to be completed in the early morning hours. The ninth person to enter the investigating judge’s office was the alleged ringleader, a 43-year-old gas station owner.
The charges they face & what they claim
The defendants face serious charges including directing, joining and participating in a criminal organization, aggravated fraud against the state and private individuals exceeding 120,000 euros, and aggravated money laundering from criminal activities.
According to sources, the majority reportedly deny the serious charges against them, claiming they never used illegal software and arguing that their conversations took place within the context of their daily professional activities. “What is heard in the conversations is within the framework of the daily coordination we did for my work and has nothing to do with illegal activities” a defendant, a gas station employee who allegedly operated the illegal software, reportedly stated. The other defendants who have appeared before the investigating judge so far have taken a similar stance.
