According to a report from the state news agency AMNA the gang called up local government authorities and, by impersonating representatives of European structural funds or of the Ministry of Tourism, collected data on tourism agencies and hotels in the area under the pretense of including them in EU tourism funding programmes. They then contacted the owners of the agencies and the hoteliers and asked for a cash guarantee ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 euros to include them in the programmes. By the time they were arrested, they had collected 46,850 euros.
The report on AMNA said that for the deposit, or so-called "guarantee fees" in banks, they used banking accounts set up by homeless and very poor individuals in the Attica prefecture, whom they paid to open accounts in their names.
Nine travel agencies fell for the trick, in addition to two hoteliers and a public works contractor. Two of those arrested have tried similar frauds, while another two of their collaborators are being sought by the police.
The six were taken to the Athens prosecutor to testify after charges were drawn up involving the founding of and collusion in a criminal ring, fraud, attempted fraud and a violation of the law on money laundering.
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