A significant unresolved issue remains in the case of the 55-year-old man from the Mystras area, who had placed the body of his 90-year-old father in a freezer, as authorities are still investigating the matter concerning pension payments. The 55-year-old was found guilty of making a false statement; however, the question of alleged fraud remains open, as investigators are looking into whether he continued to collect his father’s pension after his death.
In his initial statement, the man had claimed he kept the body in the freezer in order to continue receiving the pension. He later changed his story, however, insisting that he could not bring himself to part with his father and that he would visit the freezer just to see him. According to reports by Star TV, one critical factor that could significantly affect the outcome of the case is the precise determination of the 90-year-old’s time of death.
Mystras case: The forensic examiner holds the key
The date of death is pivotal. If it is established that the man died within the last three years, the fraud charge remains at the misdemeanor level. However, if it is proven that the 90-year-old died earlier, the case changes dramatically — the amount allegedly collected illegally from the Greek state would exceed €120,000, elevating the charge to a felony. Adding to the impact of the case, the defendant’s sister testified in court today that she had not seen her father since 2019.
“I needed to keep him preserved” — The story behind the discovery and the court’s ruling
The defendant, who faced charges of ongoing fraud, making a false statement, and illegal weapons possession, claimed during his defense that his decision to place the body in the freezer was not motivated by financial gain, but by his inability to accept the loss of his father. “I needed to keep my father preserved — he was the last living person close to me, and that is why I put him in the freezer,” he stated in his testimony.
Despite his claims, judicial authorities, weighing all available evidence — including the fact that the elderly man’s pension payments continued to be received after his death — proceeded with the conviction.
Specifically, the 55-year-old was found guilty of making a false statement and was sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for three years.
The case came to light following a police investigation that was launched after it became apparent that the elderly man had shown no signs of life for an extended period. The investigation quickly led authorities to the 55-year-old, who was arrested after his father’s body was discovered inside the freezer of a closed hotel. Initially, the defendant claimed his father was in Athens — a claim that was disproven by his sister, who lives in the capital and confirmed she had not seen their father in over two years.
