A Greek court convicted a former mayor of Thessaloniki, the country’s second largest city, of money laundering related to the embezzlement of city funds and sentenced to eight years in prison.
The court verdict on Friday was the second conviction for Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, a former sprinting champion who was mayor of Thessaloniki from 1999 to 2010.
Papageorgopoulos previously received a 12-year sentence for embezzlement after more than 17 million euros ($20 million) went missing from municipal coffers. He served two years and five months, but was released in 2015 on poor health grounds.
71-year-old Papageorgopoulos has denied all the charges. He will remain free until a higher court hears his appeal.
The court on Friday also convicted Thessaloniki’s former secretary-general of money laundering and handed him an eight-year suspended prison sentence. [ap]
