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Pizza Fan founder and owner Konstantinos Antaras has been remanded in custody pending trial, as talks emerge over a possible buyer for the troubled pizza chain and its roughly 2,500 workers.<\/p>\n
Antaras, whom authorities allege led a criminal organisation behind a \u20ac25 million tax-evasion scheme, was ordered detained on Tuesday, 27 October, after testifying for about two hours before Athens\u2019 32nd regular investigating magistrate, To Vima reported.<\/p>\n
Dimitris Iliopoulos, described by prosecutors as his second-in-command, was placed under house arrest with an electronic tag.<\/p>\n
Read more: Pizza Fan Probe Leads to 23 Arrests and \u20ac1.28 million in cash<\/p>\n
According to Ta Nea, 18 of the 23 defendants had testified by Tuesday evening. Apart from Antaras and Iliopoulos, the other 16 were released under restrictive conditions, in some cases with bail of up to \u20ac6,000. The first five had been released earlier, with bail of up to \u20ac5,000. The last five defendants were expected to finish testifying in the early hours of Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Antaras denied the criminal organisation charge before the magistrate, according to Proto Thema and To Vima.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI deny the charge. All the acts concern tax offences and in no way a criminal organisation,\u201d he reportedly said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n\u201cIt is unfair to call a group of people who have built a successful business a criminal organisation. It employs more than 2,500 people, pays \u20ac36 million a year in wages and \u20ac15 million in VAT and taxes, while tens of millions go to suppliers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
He also reportedly admitted knowing that franchise operators were illegally using the so-called \u201ckerasma\u201d (\u201ctreat\u201d) function, but argued that the central ordering system allowed their revenue to be checked. Iliopoulos reportedly told the magistrate he knew of the practice but had opposed it.<\/p>\n
His lawyer, Stavros Georgopoulos, said Antaras consents to the immediate release of the seized and frozen funds to the state to settle any tax liability. A second lawyer, Michalis Markoulakos, said the case referral cites \u20ac35 million in unpaid taxes, but the charge itself concerns \u20ac1.8 million, which, he said, relates to franchisees rather than Antaras.<\/p>\n
A possible buyer<\/h2>\n
Vlassis Georgatos, head of VG Holding, whose businesses include the Grigoris chain and Air Canteen, has been approached by Antaras\u2019s side about a possible takeover, Newmoney reported. No agreement or binding offer has been announced.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to see if and what can be saved, otherwise what would you take?\u201d Georgatos said, according to Pagenews.<\/p>\n
Pagenews also reported that at least three businesspeople from the food-service sector have been sounded out, and that one of them declined.<\/p>\n
The chain has about 110 stores, more than 80 franchisees, estimated network sales above \u20ac100 million a year and about 2,500 employees, according to Newmoney.<\/p>\n
Union representative Giorgos Stefanakis said workers were told, after meeting a company legal representative, that the chain would not reopen under its current ownership, Newmoney reported.<\/p>\n
Workers left in limbo<\/h2>\n
In Thessaloniki, dozens of Pizza Fan workers protested outside the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace. Seven local stores have closed, leaving more than 150 employees uncertain about their future, To Vima reported.<\/p>\n
Deputy Labour Minister Kostas Karagounis told ERTnews that employment contracts remain active and that there has been no order to close the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe company must pay employees\u2019 wages, social security contributions and its other obligations. Payroll is due at the end of the month,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to labour ministry officials cited by Net24, the government is also considering suspending contracts and paying affected workers a special-purpose allowance of \u20ac534, which would require a dedicated legislative provision.<\/p>\n
The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/strong> Pizza Fan Case: First Five Defendants Released Under Restrictive Conditions and Pizza Fan Owner and Employees Arrested in \u20ac25 Million Greek VAT Probe<\/p>\n
(Sources: To Vima, Ta Nea, Proto Thema, Newmoney, Pagenews, ERTnews, Net24)<\/p>\n
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