Akis Tsochatzopoulos

Former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, 77, tabled a new request for early release on Wednesday, after a first request was rejected earlier this year.

Tsochatzopoulos, who was sentenced to 20 years behind bars, was found guilty of money laundering in connection to kickbacks he is alleged to have received from defense deals.

Viki Stamati, the wife of convicted former defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos,  managed to gather the 50,000 euros required and she was released from custody on Tuesday.

A criminal appeals court had previously denied her request to be released since she had to pay first the 50,000 euros in bail, on the grounds that she was destitute.

Former General Secretary of Procurement at the Defense Ministry Ioannis Sbokos received life sentence without the possibility of parole on the arms corruption case where former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is also involved.

Ioannis Sbokos was a close associate of Akis Tsochatzopoulos who has been charged with money laundering.

Viki Stamati, the wife of convicted former defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, was expected to be released from psychiatric hospital Dromokaitio after serving three years on charges of money laundering.

Vicky Stamati, wife of former minister and convicted Akis Tsohatzopoulos, was set free after three years in prison following the decision of the Appeal Court.

Vicky Stamati was jailed on corruption charges and money laundering.

Greek businessman Thomas Liakounakis, arrested at his upscale Filothei-Psychiko residence on Monday on charges of bribery and money laundering, was sent to jail pending trial following his 7-hour inquest hearing with investigative magistrate on corruption, Vassilis Bratis.

Former defence minister Yiannos Papantoniou is being accused of foul play over the purchase of ‘Leopard’ tanks by the Greek armed forces. The prosecutor for corruption, Eleni Raikou, on Friday forwarded the case that was built up over an investigation carried over several months and resulting in criminal charges against 13 individuals.

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.

An Athens-based court on Wednesday rejected a sixth appeal by Viki Stamati, the wife of jailed former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, to have her prison sentence for money laundering commuted to house arrest, prompting Stamati to demand that the five-judge panel be replaced.

Antonis Kantas, the former deputy head of procurements at the Defense Ministry between 1996 and 2002 and one of the chief suspects in an arms-for-contracts scandal, was released from pretrial custody on Friday after the expiration of the maximum 18-month holding period.