During an investigation by the Authority for Combating the Legalization of Proceeds from Criminal Activities, €2.5 million was found in the accounts of Cretan farmer Giorgos Xylouris, known in the OPEKEPE case as “Frapés.”
Xylouris, who also serves as president of the KSOS (Consortium of Sultana Cooperative Organizations), was found to own eight vehicles — one of them a Jaguar.
In intercepted conversations with then OPEKEPE president Kyriakos Babassidis, “Frapés” allegedly sought the removal of European Prosecutor Popi Papandreou, who was investigating illegal farmer subsidies.
Since this morning, police have carried out 37 arrests across Greece for illegal subsidy claims connected to OPEKEPE.
According to the findings, he had failed to file an asset declaration (pothen esches) despite being legally required to do so. The investigation now aims to determine whether money laundering has taken place. If confirmed, a second criminal case will be opened against him.
The case file has also been sent to the competent prosecutor to examine potential violations of asset declaration laws, while the matter has been referred to the Court of Audit for the imposition of fines.
The Cretan producer had also declared the same farmland on Chios multiple times, receiving subsidies he never repaid — claiming the double declaration was “an oversight.”
Sources: Huffington Post, Καθημερινή, ERT
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