By Angelos Anastasiou
DESPITE his unequivocal and repeated denials, investigators have found that former Laiki Bank boss Andreas Vgenopoulos was “close friends and business associates” with Greek ship-owner Michalis Zolotas, owner of the infamous Focus Maritime Corporation which was allegedly serving as a slush fund for bribing political parties and state officials, daily Politis reported on Wednesday.
Focus has thus far been implicated in the payment of €1m to former Central Bank governor Christodoulos Christodoulou in 2007 – while he was still governor – whose omission to declare the income to the taxman landed him a five-month prison term last year.
Christodoulou justified the payment as “consultancy fees for the next ten years” paid in advance.
Last April, Politis caused a political stir when it reported that Focus had contributed a total €2m to the island’s two largest parties – €500,000 to DISY and €1.5m to AKEL – in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.
AKEL flatly denied having received any money from Focus, while DISY only acknowledged receipt of €50,000 from a “group of ship-owners”, which it returned to legacy Laiki. Both parties requested an investigation by the Attorney-general, which is ongoing.
Politis also reported that Focus had been granted a €720m loan from Laiki during Vgenopoulos’ reign, which is not being serviced.
Suggesting that the company made payments on behalf of the former Laiki strongman, the paper described Zolotas as Vgenopoulos’ “close friend and associate”, though the Greek financier has denied ties to Zolotas, personally or professionally.
Citing unnamed sources from the team of investigators looking into Focus, Politis said on Wednesday that links between the two men have been established.
It said that police investigators have secured statements from individuals who received Focus money, who claimed the payment deals were made personally with Vgenopoulos, not Zolotas.
Additionally, the paper claimed, Vgenopoulos has been found registered as co-director of various companies along with the Greek ship-owner.
As well, many of Zolotas’ companies were registered by Vgenopoulos’ law firm, it reported.
“Essentially, Michalis Zolotas and Focus doubled as the money-transfer vehicle to serve the interests of Laiki’s former strongman,” the paper said.
Meanwhile, Justice minister Ionas Nicolaou on Tuesday said Vgenopoulos will “definitely” be among those called to testify as part of investigations into Laiki’s collapse.
“I realise many are eager for the investigations to conclude, and their eagerness is justified since they have seen past scandals go unpunished,” he said.
“Time will determine when the next steps will be made,” he added.
“When Legal Services deem the time is right, and have the necessary evidence that needs to be investigated through a statement or suffice to take Vgenopoulos directly to court, they will do so.”
