A major corruption scandal in the Rhodes Urban Planning Department has escalated as Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority uncovered evidence of illicit wealth linked to accused officials.
The authority identified apartments, land plots, bank accounts, and cash totalling €500,000 in the possession of suspects allegedly involved in laundering money through real estate ventures.
Charalambos Vourliotis, head of the Authority for Combating Money Laundering, has called on the Rhodes Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the money laundering allegations tied to the high-profile case. The investigation revealed ten rented apartments generating rental income, two land plots, and significant cash reserves and bank deposits. These assets, amassed during the period under scrutiny, appear inconsistent with the declared incomes and financial profiles of the accused, according to the authority’s findings.
Following an initial probe, the suspects—released with restrictive conditions and €100,000 in total bail—face further scrutiny as a detailed report has been submitted to the prosecution for legal action. The assets in question have been frozen pending the outcome of the investigation.
Initial Findings in the Corruption Case
The scandal first broke when searches of the suspects’ homes uncovered substantial evidence of wrongdoing. Among the seized items were:
– From the 48-year-old head of the Building Permits Department: €478,640 in cash, 21 gold coins, three bank deposit books, an official Rhodes Urban Planning stamp, numerous building documents, handwritten notes, and luxury designer bags.
– From the 55-year-old head of Construction Oversight: €1,640 in cash and various urban planning documents.
– From the 56-year-old deputy director: €28,400 in cash, six official stamps, and three stamps of a former employee.
– From the 54-year-old Building Service employee: €10,400 in cash, a blank-firing pistol with ammunition, two knives, two fake car license plates, and a service logbook with building permit protocol numbers.
– From the 68-year-old architect-engineer: €20,915 in cash, 193 physical files from the Urban Planning archive, fake building documents, two official stamps, a hunting firearm, and ancient copper coins.
– From the 48-year-old civil engineer: €37,700 in cash, documents from the Technical Chamber of Greece system, and a notebook with handwritten notes.
The discoveries have fuelled suspicions of systemic corruption within the Rhodes Urban Planning Department, with authorities now working to unravel the full extent of the laundering scheme and bring those responsible to justice.
(Source: In.gr))