As part of a full-scale operation conducted by the Greek Financial and Economic Crimes Unit (SDOE) targeting money laundering in the health sector, it was revealed that hundreds of physicians all over Greece were involved in tax evasion and black-economy practices.
According to the newspaper “Eleftheros Typos,” the opening of bank accounts owned by physicians working in the Greek National Health System revealed huge amounts which couldn’t be justified by the physicians’ legal incomes. It is suspected that these amounts come from bribes and illegal practice outside the NHS.
The results of the investigation show that at least 1 in 3 of the investigated doctors has been found with unjustified amounts in his bank accounts. In many cases, the black-market money discovered, amounts up to thousands of euros.
From the over 500 physicians audited — mainly gynecologists and obstetricians — the tax evasion percentage exceeds 35%.
The Greek SDOE discovered that three physicians from Athens chalked up amounts totaling €21 million. In their tax returns though, the three physicians declared a very small income, which in no way justifies the huge amounts found in their accounts. All three cases came to the attention of the Financial and Economic Crimes Unit, after complaints were filed against the doctors.
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