A Council of Magistrates on Friday rejected a request for release with restrictions from custody filed by one of the alleged masterminds in a massive 51.4-million-euro embezzlement scam at the Thessaloniki municipality.
Panagiotis Saxonis, 47, a former cashier in the City of Thessaloniki, cited health reasons, while he also maintained that he had to be released to collect evidence for his defence.
Meanwhile, two repatriated Greeks from Georgia were handed down a suspended sentenced of 11 months after being found guilty of extortion. The two had blackmailed a local singer on behalf of Saxonis, demanding that he pay back a 20,000-euro loan he had received from the latter.
According to the indictment, the two defendants were acting following orders by Saxonis and an US national, also held at Diavata Prison.
ANA-MPA
