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Bank accounts of the defendants on the case Tsohatzopoulos were blocked

14 April 2012 / 17:04:50  GRReporter
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His downfall came when he bought a house in the most expensive neighborhood in London, Chesterfield. Brummell continued to think that he was powerful and could continue to live as he was accustomed. But things developed differently, and he was arrested.

Akis Tsohatzopoulos got married for the second time to Vicky Stamati in July 2004. A little later they entered into also a religious marriage in Paris. The best man was Michelle Kantas who was a personal friend of the groom.

During the Luxurious wedding in Paris in 2004, when Tsohatzopoulos married Vicky Stamati who is 35 years younger than him

Seven years after the marriage in the City of Light Tsohatzopoulos who was no longer a member of Parliament returned to the parliament building, but this time he had to testify before the investigating commission in the case of the submarines.

His career in PASOK

Together with the late George Genimatas and Kostas Laliotis, Akis Tsohatzopoulos was part of the so-called "troika of PASOK". The "Troika" is a collective deputy head of the Movement. Tsohatzopoulos was the antithesis of Genimatas. He was very devoted to Andreas Papandreou and fully complied with all of his decisions.

At that time, the following story was told as a joke: once Akis asked Andreas what time it was, and he replied: "Whatever you say, Prime Minster".

Since the early '80s until 1996, when he lost the battle for the leadership post of PASOK, Tsohatzopoulos had a whirlwind political career.

In 1993, when Andreas Papandreou again returned to power, Akis Tsohatzopoulos actually became deputy prime minister.

Akis Tsohatzopoulos with Andreas Papandreou

PASOK's founder resigned as Prime Minister in 1996. He was succeeded not by Tsohatzopoulos but by Costas Simitis, who won the elections within the parliamentary group and was sworn in as Prime Minister. Tsohatzopoulos remained strong, as he represented about 40% of PASOK. In June 1996, after the death of Andreas Papandreou, Tsohatzopoulos tried to take down Simitis during a Congress of the party, but was again defeated.

As always challenging

The once powerful Minister of PASOK could not understand that times had been changing, even when he was left outside the Parliament. After his second marriage in 2004 he continued to live lavishly and often in a challenging way. The expensive purchases of his wife from the shops in the prestigious neighborhood of Kolonaki were discussed in detail among the political circles. The purchase of a neoclassical house just below the Acropolis was the "icing on the cake". The tax return form that he had filed could not justify such a costly purchase.

Chronicle

1st of June, 2010. The regional prosecutor Eleni Raikou ordered a preliminary investigation in connection with the publications for inconsistencies in the tax return form of Akis Tsohatzopoulos.

7th of June, 2010. A proposal is made in PASOK for the party affiliation of Akis Tsohatzopoulos to be withdrawn.

24th of January, 2011. An investigation of the parliamentary committee, established to check the allegations of bribes given by Siemens. It was found that the politicians, among whom is also Akis Tsohatzopoulos, participated in the case.

18th of March, 2011. Αkis Tsohatzopoulos made a complaint against the magazine «Der Spiegel» for publication in connection with bribes received by the company-producer of the submarines.

11th of April, 2011. Tsohatzopoulos was permanently suspended from PASOK.

26th of May, 2011. According to the Office for Combating Economic Crimes, the price which he had indicated in his tax return form for the purchase of the neoclassical house on "Dionisiou Areopagitou" St. is lower than the tax value of the property.

June 6, 2011. Parliament decided that he must be charged with receiving bribes and money laundering.

13th of January, 2012. He was called before a prosecutor as a suspect for filing an inaccurate tax return form.

11th of April, 2012. Based on the arrest warrant, he was arrested for money laundering and was taken to the "Police" General Directorate on "Alexandras" Ave.

Tags: Akis Tsohatzopoulos arrest prosecutor charges blocked accounts money laundering bribes
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