The appeals justices accepted the proposal made by the Financial Crime Deputy Prosecutor Galinos Bris that the 64 should stand trial on various charges involving bribery and money laundering, in many cases aggravated by laws for the embezzlement of public funds, which can carry a maximum term of life imprisonment.
The indictment marks the culmination of a nine-year investigation by justice into the Siemens case and the company's contract OTE, including the so-called "useful expenses" paid out by Siemens.
Bris delivered a 2,368-page report into a 1997 multi-million agreement, known as the "8002 contract". The "8002 contract" is considered to be the biggest case of corruption involving large amounts of money over a long period of time. The investigation into the case was started in 2006 by the then prosecutor for financial crimes Panagiotis Athanassiou.
According to the report, the estimated 70 million euros in "n?tzliche Aufwendungen" or "useful expenses" - as the multinational company's officials referred to kickbacks - are considered a loss for the state, as the kickbacks were then rolled into the cost of implementing the project. The report specifically accused former OTE executives of not protecting the interests of the company and, in addition, of not acting based on the real needs of the company, which was a largely state-owned company at that time.
Of the 64 indicted, 19 face charges of active bribery aggravated by the provisions of the law for public-sector embezzlement, which is punishable by life imprisonment, as well as money laundering.
A further 14 defendants and former OTE executives are charged with passive bribery, also aggravated by the provisions of the law for public-sector embezzlement, and money-laundering.
Eight consultancy firm employees face charges as accessories in passive bribery, 14 are accused as direct accomplices in passive bribery and money-laundering, eight are accused as direct accomplices in active bribery and money laundering, and one woman is accused of money laundering.
Among the defendants is Thodoros Tsoukatos, an erstwhile advisor of former prime minister Costas Simitis, and senior Siemens executives Ilias Georgiou and Prodromos Mavridis, as well as two fugitive former Siemens executives with outstanding arrest warrants, Michalis Christoforakos, who has taken refuge in Germany, and Christos Karavellas.
Based on the Appeals Justices Council ruling, the charges against another 80 accused have been dropped, including Karavellas' family, who had been arrested when he fled the country.
ANA-MPA
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