2024-04-12 15:39:48
• 9 people were found not guilty
The trial before the Three-Member Court of Appeal of the Dodecanese concluded yesterday with the sentencing of 10 people on felonies in the much-vaunted case with 19 defendants in the “mammoth” scandal that unfolded in the former Commercial Bank of Greece (now Alpha Bank) with the submission of false information to secure loans amounting to 2,257,022 euros.
The defendants faced the offenses of jointly forming a criminal organization, forgery with intended benefit over €120,000 jointly and fraud with loss over €120,000 jointly.
The jury found 10 of the 19 defendants guilty of felony forgery, turned the criminal organization into a gang, and dismissed the prosecution because of the statute of limitations, while finding the accused bank employee guilty of perjury under a permissive change of charge.
The Prosecutor’s recommendation for the release of all the defendants from the charges of fraud and forgery was preceded, as it was emphasized that there are no conditions for defrauding the bank’s employees.
The Prosecutor stressed that at least three employees of the bank cooperated and proposed the conviction of one defendant for the crime of infidelity.
In any event, the court ordered:
– 9-year prison sentence without parole to M. M.
– 6-year prison sentence without parole to B. X.
-Sentence of 6 years imprisonment with suspensive effect on appeal to N.F.
– 6-year prison sentence without parole in E. A.
-An 8-year prison sentence with a suspensive effect on the appeal to N.B., M.A. and A. B..
– 9-year prison sentence with suspensive effect on appeal to G. P.
The history of the case revealed by the “democratic” is as follows:
On March 26, 2007, it was reported to the Sub-Directorate for the Prosecution of Economic Crimes by a consultant of the Commercial Bank’s Inspection Department, that 13 people had disbursed large sums of money, through lending from branches of the Commercial Bank in Podos, with the aim of purchasing real estate and plots of land on the island, making use of documents of dubious authenticity, which they had submitted for the approval of the loans.
Also, from the audit, it was found that the 13 borrowers showed large incomes, based on the provided settlement notes, while doubts arose both about the existence and operation of the businesses, in which the above-mentioned said they work, as well as about the residence addresses declared by them.
Additionally, it was established that after the disbursement of the loans, there were delays in the repayment of the installments, as well as the appearance of unfavorable financial data at the expense of some borrowers.
During the preliminary investigation, a defendant confirmed that in the tax statement she presented to the Bank for the approval of her loans, fictitious incomes of 21,302 euros had been declared, which do not correspond to reality.
Another confessed that another defendant convinced her to request a housing loan from the Podos branch of the Commercial Bank, promising her the payment of 20,000 euros, as a fee for her participation.
All the disbursed money was reaped according to her claims by this defendant, while she did not receive any amount of money. He also admitted that the employer’s certificate presented to the Bank was a forgery, as well as that fictitious incomes had been declared in the tax declaration.
On March 20, 2007, another defendant stated that he was approached in Athens by three of his co-defendants, who, taking advantage of his financial need, suggested that he obtain a loan from the Commercial Bank of Podos, for the purchase of a plot of land, while they themselves would undertake the issuance and collection of all supporting documents, which he will submit to the Bank.
As a fee, as he said, he would receive the amount of 5,000 euros, after the loan was disbursed. The remaining amount of the loan would be reaped by his two co-accused.
The total financial loss suffered by Emporiki Bank from the granting of loans to the above, including accrued interest, amounts to the sum of 2,257,022 euros.
From the control of the Commercial Bank, it emerged that most of the disbursed money was transferred, with the signed order of the aforementioned borrowers, to the credit of a savings bank account, the beneficiary of which is one of the defendants.
The defendants were represented by Mr. Manolis Koutsoukos, Spyros Salamastrakis, Achilleas Daskalakis, Vassilis Logos, Manolis Vlachos, Maria Krikopoulou, Sevastianos Kourkoulos while the bank was represented by Mr. George Mavrommatis.