Tsohatzopoulos trial: Prosecutor eyes another five for defence contract kickbacks

Public prosecutor Evgenia Kyvelou on Friday recommended that five people stand trial for moving illegal funds linked to kickbacks in defence contracts paid during the time when former socialist PASOK minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos headed the defence ministry.

Among the five people was Panos Germanos, owner of Germanos electronic goods chain. Others recommended to stand trial are former head of military procurements at the defence ministry, Ioannis Stokos, senior business executive Giorgos Kamaris and asset managers George and Pier Christodoulidis – two brothers.

They are being accused of illegal fees being paid for the purchase of TORM1 Russian anti-aircraft missile systems via the firm Clavis founded thhat was managed by the Christodoulidis brothers. ermanos is alleged to have received two million dollars that were moved through a succession of company accounts before arriving to Yiannis Stokos.

Clavas is also a suspect of having moved roughly 12 million euros considered a ‘fee’ for Stokos from a total of 90 million euros as “gifts” for Russian weapons.
A large amount of the sums moved around were returned to the state by both Kamaris and Germanos. The latter states he was unaware of the origin of the money. Businessman Vlassis Kambouroglou, found dead in a hotel in Jakarta in 2012, is also believed to have been involved in the same case.