The acquittal of all the defendants in the Greek Mafia case, the prosecutor of the Three-Member Court of Appeals proposed on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, regarding the trial for misdemeanors.
According to news247.gr, The presiding prosecutor stated that «unfortunately, despite the seriousness of the charge, there is no evidence. It is tragic. I hope the other case file will have better luck» (i.e., the trial for the felonies in the case involving the same individuals).
He added that «everyone should be acquitted» since «no evidence has emerged.» It is worth noting that, as the trial of the case was being delayed for a very long time, the misdemeanor charges were separated from the felonies for fear that the statute of limitations would expire.
While the judicial investigation into the felonies is still pending, the trial for the misdemeanors will continue with closing arguments by the defense attorneys.
It should be noted that 19 people, including police officers, are accused in this case, while four individuals who were under investigation by the authorities have been murdered in recent years.
This refers to Dimitris Malamas, who is described as the leader of the organization, for whom the Hellenic Police officers worked, former police officer Spyros Papachristou, who maintained ties with figures in the political and economic elite, Dimitris Kapetanakis, who is reportedly linked to a key figure in the New Democracy party, and journalist Giorgos Karaivaz.
A Brief History
Following relevant complaints, the EYP conducted an 18-month investigation between 2015 and 2017 to dismantle a criminal organization with monthly profits exceeding 3 million per month, in which active-duty and retired police officers, members of the underworld, criminals, lawyers, and journalists played key roles.
As described in the findings of the prosecuting authorities, this criminal organization provided «protection» for years to 900 illegal establishments in central Athens, reaping profits in the millions. Under the «supervision» of the Greek Mafia were 300 gambling clubs and casinos, 350 brothels, and 250 strip clubs and studios, while it also operated an extensive extortion network that even targeted political figures.
It is worth noting that this case was linked both to the rape and pimping case in Ilioupoli and to the Michou case in Kolonos. The owner of the brothel where the 12-year-old was taken appears to be the «treasurer» of the Greek Mafia.
