Five felonies and special measures against Lavrentiadis

Public Prosecutor Gregoris Peponis is requesting from the First Instance Court of Athens that entrepreneur Lavrentis Lavrentiadis be prosecuted for a series of felonies on the case of Proton Bank, but also the measures required by law should be taken to prevent the possibility of escape overseas. At the same time, Mr. Peponis calls for the prosecutions of 27 other persons involved in the Proton Bank scandal.

The offenses for which the Public Prosecutor seeks the prosecution of the business is fraud by profession combined with the aggravating provisions of law 1608/1950, embezzlement, criminal organization, money laundering and breach of trust to the extent of joint and persistent.

Thus, Mr. Peponis adds another offense - breach of faith - on what I. Dragatsis, the prosecutor who investigated the case, had requested. It should be noted that the crime of embezzlement has a proposed prosecution in respect of all loans of 701 million euros given to companies Lavrentis Lavrentiadis' interest, while he sat on the bank’s board of directors.

Also interesting are the references in Mr. Peponis’ documents to taking all necessary measures which the law requires so that the businessman does not escape from Greece and answers to Greek justice. It is worth noting that, among other things, pledged accounts in Zurich belonging to the businessman and amounting to 160 million EUR have been frozen.

Indeed, the businessman had offered to repay the bank 100 million, provided that all three Swiss bank accounts are released. His suggestion was not accepted by Mr. Dragatsis.

Mr. Peponis is calling for the prosecution of 27 more people who are involved in the Proton Bank case, on felony offenses. These are Proton Bank board members and Credit Committee members, 15 company owners who took bad loans as well as six more individuals.

Finally, Mr. Peponis has asked not to file the case concerning the part which requires the 51 million the businessman returned to Proton Bank a few months ago.