Case opens into corporate bribery at public hospitals

An anti-corruption magistrate is to launch an investigation into evidence that appears to show a second orthopedic equipment manufacturer bribed doctors at Greek hospitals to favor their products, costing taxpayers millions of euros.

Sources did not reveal the name of the company or the amount involved but said that a preliminary probe by prosecutor Giorgos Kaloudis had found evidence of bribery and money laundering. The case will now be handled by magistrate Nikolas Tsironis.

Authorities found indications of bribery while investigating DePuy, a subsidiary of US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson, which is also accused of bribing Greek doctors. Five DePuy employees were charged by a Greek prosecutor last year.