Akis Tsochatzopoulos is the former Greek politician and minister who remains imprisoned on financial fraud charges. Tsochatzopoulos, according to accusers, appears to own an offshore company, to which he, in cooperation with many other relatives and businessmen, transferred money illegally. This great amount of money is assumed to have been earned via illegal transactions he was involved with in regards to submarine purchases.
While imprisoned, Greek authorities are trying to find any evidence proving his guilt. As a result, they found his personal business notebook, where the former Minister documented his financial transactions. The bad news for his colleagues is that he wrote down their names.
“After several months of mocking me, during which you claim having looked for ‘transfer’ solutions, you didn’t send me anything! But I hear, you got GAP off your back,” writes Tsochatzopoulos. But who is GAP, you may ask? It’s George Andreas Papandreou, the former PM of Greece.
According to people closely related to the Tsochatzopoulos scandal, this note addresses Giannis Sbokos, former Secretary of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tsochatzopoulos persistently asks him that he send the former Minister 1 million euros.
“I ask for money now. I need a clear answer today concerning the day and the way [of the transaction]. How much? 3x 300,000 seems a reasonable transaction,” continues Tsochatzopoulos.
The imprisoned politician, being in prison on money-laundering charges, has sent several emails to Sbokos, as well. He was still asking for a meeting but never received a reply.
Another former MP, Christoforakos Michael, appears many times in the same notebook. The two former powerful men had many meetings, especially during 2001-2002. The same lines of the notebook have also the word “Siemens” written.
Some years ago, many Greek politicians appeared to have been involved in another major scandal with the German company. Unfortunately, as is typical in Greece, no one was officially accused and so all of them remain free until now. Tsochatzopoulos writes, “Evidence if they know anything about Siemens indictment.”
And when the Greek Parliament asked to check Tsochatzopoulos’ bank accounts, he expresses his fears in the same notebook. However, during the Lukas Papademos government, he hopes that everything will change for the better for his personal legal case.
The police confiscated the notebooks and the documents found at the former Minister’s house and office. Many journalists and politicians appear to have met Tsochatzopoulos several times but meetings don’t prove much so the people mentioned can’t be liable to punishment.
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