By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The six suspects linked to the unfolding bribery and match-fixing investigation in Greece arrived at the Evelpidon Athens Court on Thursday morning.
As anticipated, their lawyers asked for a postponement. The criminal investigator granted the request, giving the defense team a statutory three days to review the case file built by sports prosecutor Apostolis Grammenos.
The investigator set three separate dates for the suspects’ official testimonies, meaning they will return to court over the next few days rather than all together early next week.
Retired official Petros Papapetrou is scheduled to testify on Friday. Hellenic Basketball Federation president Vangelis Liolios and businessman Giorgos Mavraganis will follow on Sunday. Active EuroLeague referee Vasiliki Tsaroucha, refereeing official Ilias Koromilas, and retired official Anastasios Piloidis are set to testify on Monday.
The suspects will remain in custody until their respective court appearances, because the authorities consider there’s a danger of them fleeing.
Meanwhile, defense attorneys strongly denied all allegations. The lawyer for referees Tsaroucha and Koromilas stated that the money found is ‘the product of legal activities’. Attorney Panagiotis Papaioannou called the case against Liolios a ‘badly staged conspiracy’.
50 games probed
The case covers a ten-year window from 2016 to 2026. While the probe started after a complaint involving Maroussi, two whistleblowers broke it wide open, as detailed by Eurohoops on Wednesday. These two individuals, who admitted to accepting cash themselves, gave authorities evidence about how the network operated. In return, they received full amnesty as protected witnesses.
Investigators are looking at roughly 50 suspicious games. Only two are top-division matches.
Police reportedly found unaccounted-for cash totaling 820,000 euros at one suspect’s home and 102,000 euros at another’s.
Meanwhile, EOK faces a tight deadline. If the investigator files formal charges next week, the board has 15 days to replace Liolios. If they don’t act, the sports ministry will step in, dissolve the board, and call new elections.
Furthermore, speculation is running high, with various scenarios regarding the immediate future of games in Greece reportedly being considered amid recent developments.
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