Former director of Greek Red Cross and of affiliated Errikos Dynan Hospital, Andreas Martinis, was arrested on Monday night together with this wife. The two face felony charges on embezzlement and money laundering and having accepted a bribe of 3.5 million DM in 1998 by a German company.
According to daily TA NEA, charges refer to 3.2million Deutsche Mark received by Andreas martinis and given by German company Hospitalia International that supplied the Dynan hospital with equipment.
The investigation in real estate assets of the Martinis couple began 1.5 year ago by order of the Corruption Prosecutor. Investigation reportedly showed that
“In 1998 the procurement committee of the Henry Dunant suggested the supply of hospital equipment and furnishing, namely furnaces, washing machines, cookers etc. In this context a contract with German company Hospitalia International was signed at a total cost of 12 billion Drachmas (approximately 36 million euro).”
According to prosecutors’ findings, “As president of the hospital, Martinis allegedly defrauded the board members choose this specific company that also over-charged the contract. The extra amount of money was allegedly the bribe for the president. according to prosecutors estimated an ignition to the president of the hospital.
An amount of 3.2 million DM landed in the bank account of Martini couple in Switzerland, in 2001 a part of the money left for an offshore company in Liberia that bought a building next to Dynan hospital in Mesogeion Avenue, while later the two suspects acquired legal ownership of the building.
According to investigators’ findings, the suspect used to have the money deposited in offshore companies and then bring it to Greece as “clean money.”
Greek media report that Swiss authorities aided their Greek colleagues on this issue.
“The arrest was conducted under strict secrecy because of the high contacts the Martinis have” and out of fear they might try to hide evidence or escape abroad, so private Mega TV.
Arriving at the prosecutors’ office on Tuesday morning, Andreas Martinis told reporters that he is used to face charges and accusations.
The two deny charges and Martinis wife claimed that the money on the account was “from her family, legal and taxed.” The two will testify on Friday.
Andreas Martinis, 73, was arrested also in 2013 over hospital arrears to IKA social security fund. Martinis had resigned in 2011 as president of the Greek Red Cross he served for more than 2 decades, but he was still acting as president in 2013… The central of Red Cross International was refusing to have contacts with him.
The whole issue around his person was too complicated to follow.
He was also director of the Red Cross public hospital.
PS What??? German companies bribe Greeks? I don’t believe it… lol
