The Investigative Committee for the OPEKEPE case, in which New Democracy holds the majority, requested that the witnesses who, according to their testimonies, are connected with gambling winnings, be examined by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Authority for Combating the Legalization of Proceeds from Criminal Activities (known as the Authority for Money Laundering).
These are Andreas Stratakis (“Butcher”), Kalliopi Semertzidou, and her partner Christos Mageirias, who is expected to testify tomorrow. It is worth noting that A. Stratakis and K. Semertzidou have run for office with New Democracy, while similar intentions had been expressed in the past by Ch. Mageirias. The goal is to determine whether this is a “real stroke of luck” or illegal activity, according to the New Democracy rapporteur, Makarios Lazaridis.
K. Semertzidou, speaking about the freezing of her bank accounts, said: “Should I start a hunger strike outside the Parliament?”
A. Stratakis, during his testimony to the Investigative Committee, stated that a relative of his had won the lottery 2–3 times, clarifying that it was his daughter, who in 2017 won approximately €1 million from the New Year’s Lottery. Likewise, Kalliopi Semertzidou had mentioned that her partner won in gambling games but was unable to recall the exact amounts.
The move of the Investigative Committee caused reactions from opposition parties, with sources from PASOK calling it a “publicity stunt” and SYRIZA calling it an attempt to create impressions “without substance.”
Sources: The Press Project, Καθημερινή
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