Akis Tsochatzopoulos

Areti Tsochatzopoulou, daughter of former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, was expected to be released from prison following a decision by a parole board prosecutor on Tuesday.

An investigating magistrate is expected to summon two Greek businessman in the coming days who have been linked to kickbacks worth 5.5 million euros for the purchase of Super Puma helicopters, including 1.6 million euros that was found in an offshore account in the name of right-wing LAOS leader Giorgos Karatzaferis, according to prosecutors.

Ex-Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, currently serving a 20-year sentence after being found guilty of accepting millions of euros in bribes in exchange for defense deals and money laundering, on Tuesday appeared before judges to back the appeals of his wife, Viki Stamati, and daughter, Areti Tsochatzopoulou, for early release from their respective 12-year sentences in connection with the s

An investigation by a parliamentary committee into the “pothen esches” (declaration of source of wealth) forms submitted by the leader of the right-wing LAOS party, Giorgos Karatzaferis, which is expected to be completed by Wednesday, points toward the existence of millions of dollars in foreign-based bank accounts, sources indicated on Monday.

The appeal of former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, currently serving 20 years for accepting bribes in exchange for weapons contracts, was postponed until November 14 on Friday as the court examines a slew of objections filed by his defense.

The testimony of Spyros Travlos, a former senior Defense Ministry official, in connection to a scandal which erupted over German submarine purchases, has been postponed for July 11 after he asked for more time to prepare his defense.

Authorities say they have evidence suggesting that convicted criminal Panayiotis Vlastos is behind two bomb attacks on targets related to Yiannis Sbokos, a former Defense Ministry general secretary and a close aide of ex-minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, jailed for money laundering in October. All three men are currently in Korydallos Prison.

Swiss authorities are investigating a Geneva-based gold trading firm that appears to have played a central role in Greece’s arms procurements scandals.

Sources told Kathimerini prosecutors have been going through the records of Decafin for the past few weeks in a bid to gather more information about its possible entanglement in corrupt deals in Greece.

Construction of three Type 214 submarines, which has been stymied by technical snags, legal disputes and corruption probes, will be completed in the next couple of years, the Hellenic Navy has said.

A powerful explosion that seriously damaged a restaurant in the northern Athens suburb of Nea Erythraia but caused no injuries last Thursday appears to have been caused by a bomb, according to police sources, who said the force’s extortion crackdown unit has taken over the investigation.