The six individuals arrested and allegedly involved in the new corruption ring uncovered in the urban planning and local government sectors are being brought before the anti-corruption investigator today.
This is the third such ring in a row linked to urban planning services to come before the judicial authorities in recent months.
According to the case file, a leading role in the alleged criminal organization is attributed to a couple who held key positions primarily in local government but also in other sectors of public administration. At the same time, the role of the remaining four main defendants is said to have been significant, as they are alleged to have actively participated in the operation of the ring.
The case, however, is not limited to the six arrested individuals. The case file includes 30 additional individuals who are being investigated for their participation or involvement in the case.
A hierarchically structured organization involving public officials and private individuals
According to the investigation’s findings, the ring allegedly operated as an organized and hierarchically structured group, with its members holding positions from which they could, for a fee, facilitate urban planning matters, legitimizing illegalities and abuses of power.
Those involved include public officials, private engineers, architects, and businesspeople, who are alleged to have had distinct roles within the network of services.
The mastermind of the organization is said to be a civil servant who held a key position in the administrative hierarchy and who, according to the case file, coordinated the illegal activities in collaboration with her husband. An employee of the Decentralized Administration of Attica is also said to have played a key role in the case.
Of particular interest is the conduct of one of the six arrested individuals, who maintained an office within the building of the Decentralized Administration of Attica. According to the authorities, when he received requests for the resolution of urban planning matters, he insisted that initial contacts take place exclusively in his office, so that, as he reportedly said, “an initial discussion” could take place first. He then presented himself as an indispensable link in the processing of cases involving engineers and private individuals, in exchange for a monetary fee.
The amounts they demanded for the “facilitation”
The defendants allegedly demanded sums ranging from 1,000 to 30,000 euros, depending on the nature and complexity of the case. The money was intended, among other things, for:
- "Regularizing" unauthorized structures.
- Issuance of building permits.
- Reduction or waiver of fines.
- Resolving all kinds of urban planning and administrative issues.
Serious charges against the ring members
Criminal charges have been filed against the six arrested individuals for a series of felonies and misdemeanors, including:
- Forming, joining, and leading a criminal organization.
- Accepting bribes by a public official on a professional and ongoing basis in concert with others.
- Accepting bribes as a professional and on a continuous basis in concert with others.
- Breach of duty.
- Aggravated money laundering.
- Trafficking in influence.
How the investigation began
The case began to unfold on July 10, 2024, when a complaint was filed alleging that two employees of the Municipality of Kifissia were failing to issue citations for violations at a food establishment, accepting bribes in exchange for providing these specific favors.
The same complaint also mentioned other individuals who were allegedly being bribed, despite holding positions related to the operation of kiosks in the area.
Two months later, a second complaint was filed with the National Transparency Authority, concerning five officials who were also alleged to have received illegal financial benefits. This new report served as the starting point for expanding the investigation.
The case was handed over to the Internal Affairs Service, which conducted a thorough investigation lasting at least seven months. Following the completion of the preliminary investigation, police officers compiled a voluminous case file exceeding 3,500 pages, which was handed over to the relevant prosecutorial authorities for further legal action.
SOURCE: ERT