“I wish we had ten Papastavrou!” It was former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras who had praised the morals of his close aide Stavros Papastravou, a lawyer consultant at the Prime Ministry, during a speech in the Greek Parliament. Now, one of the ‘ten’ the real Stavros Papastavrou has been summoned by an Athens financial crimes prosecutor to give explanation about 5.5 million euro in his accounts at the HSBC Geneva branch. Papastavrou’s name was one of more than 2,000 Greek names on the so-called Lagarde list of wealthy Greek depositors with accounts at HSBC Geneva branch that was ‘stolen’ by former bank employee Herve Falciani in 2009. The Lagarde-List has been in the hands of the Greek authorities since 2010.
“Prosecutor Yiannis Dragatsis called lawyer Stavros Papastavrou to answer questions regarding his suspected involvement in tax evasion and money laundering through an account containing 5.5 million euros that was among hundreds on a list submitted to the Greek authorities in 2010 by then-French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, currently managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Papastavrou’s legal counsel requested an extension so that the former prime minister’s adviser can prepare his defense. A new date will be set for his deposition after the August 15th break.” (ekathimerini)
According to several Greek media, Papastavrou claims that the money does not belong to him but to Israeli businessman Sabi Mioni. Papastavrou is reportedly co-holder of the account together with his mother and his father who deceased some years ago. Papastavrou had alleged that he was just managing the bank account.
The former aide has to prove through documents that he is telling the truth, but also Mioni has to testify to the case. In his testimony in 2013, Mioni had claimed that he had given access to one of his corporate bank accounts to Papastavrou.
PS tax evasion and money laundering? If Mioni and Papastavrou were friends… there is no problem to share a bank account, I suppose.
Isn’t it this the case where Vaxevanis found the files for shred in the gutter behind the tax office just a few days before elections and except from La Stampa all “European” media refuses to report about?
Time to call the Lagarde List Falciani list so it’s getting more difficult to refuse publicity
In case the useless Samaras doesn’t grasp the issue, Greece has far more than 10 Papastavrous. The corruption and large-scale embezzlement of Pasok and ND is about the only success that they can claim. That is why they prefer to attack the current government — the only politicians in Greece not guilty of fraud, massive corruption and perverting the economic development of Greece.
The only politicians in Greece not guilty of fraud, massive corruption and perverting the economic development of Greece.
Time will tell.
Hey is this a propaganda media too?
The ’10’ who have been summoned have not got one good lawyer between them.
It shows that money cannot buy everything.
The ‘Lagarde List” is STOLEN PROPERTY – INFORMATION STOLEN – A LEGAL WARRENT MUST BE USED TO OBTAIN – ILLEGAL INFORMATION NOT CANNOT BE USED IN A COURT OF LAW.
HAS LAGARDE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY POLICE AS TO ROLE IN THE FIASCO OF THE STOLEN DATA —– YET —–?
It takes forever for the police to get their ct together.
The rule of law has become the rule of the finance police and the secret service.
QUESTION:
Has the bank in question.
From which the data (the Lagarde List) is said to have been stolen.
Looked at the data (the Lagarde List).
Has the bank in question therefore identified the data in question (the Lagarde List)
And then stated that the information that is called (the Lagarde List) Is true & correct.
If they have indeed done this
Then to whom have they given assurances that the stolen data is in fact true & correct.
Because this information cannot be given out without a LEGAL WARRENT.
Therefore for all anyone knows the information on (the Lagarde List) is fake & false.
SO
BASED ON WHAT EVIDENCE HAS THE ATHENS CRIME PROSECUTOR CALLED IN TO 10 IN QUESTION ?
On the contrary: this is leaked info from just one Swiss bank. We need to have data from all of the Swiss banks about the criminals and social misfits who have concealed their money there.
Your silly ideas about legality are just protection of criminals and fraudsters. Why? Are you one of them?
can you stop attacking other commentators here, pls?
It was a rhetorical question:-Pp
Well, if you had a big family and a business with employees to pay and moved funds from Greece two years ago to Switzerland? What would you think of your self now?
Domestic bank holidays are what foreign bank accounts in countries that are less likely to have a bank holidays are for!
Also, for poor currency risk amongst many other dangers.
This list is the Greek part of the list(a) Falciani had taken from his bank, he had to live under new identity and got political asylum in Catalonia therefore, the former Greek governments said they can’t use “stolen” information but other states like France and Germoney used the list to get in billions; therefore it’s a mistake to call it Lagarde list.
You might ask this questions Vaxevanis at “Hot Doc” or make an interview with him…
May be La Stampa got more info but the article from end of March 2015 I can’t find back in English, sorry
Re: Herve Falciani
And, there are people that like to kick around the IT folks.
Or, the list is just a distraction.