Judicial authorities in Athens ruled that Greek-Georgian judoka, Tariel Zintiridis, a former Judo Champion, will be kept in custody for charges related to participation in criminal ring involved in thefts and robberies in several Greek regions. The 31-year-old has a successful career behind him and was Champion in several categories.
According to indictment, the charges refer to a total of 28 thefts in homes in the Prefectures of Boeotia, Euboea, Fthiotida in Central Greece and Achaia in Peloponnese.
According to media, Zintiridis’ mobile phone was allegedly located in the area where one of the thefts was committed. The Judoka denied that he owned that specific mobile phone.
In his defense line, Zintiridis made reference to his athletic career between 2003 and 2007 and said all the money he has earned during his career he invested in Georgia and he was not in need to commit thefts.
He denied he knew the other members of the criminal ring except a 27-year-old, a friend and athlete whom he coaches.
Also the 27-year-old was ordered to jail.
The two alleged members of a Georgian criminal gang were arrested last Thursday, while they were on training in Agios Kosmas sports facilities in South Athens. The arrest were part of a coordinated operation of police in Livadia and Athens after investigation that took several months.
“The 31- and the 27-year-old are allegedly the leading members of the criminal gang,” media wrote adding that police had identified another seven men and one woman, aged 23-53, as members of an alleged local “branch” of the Georgian mafia network “Vor V Zakone*.”
Police believes the gang started its operation in March 2017 and has illegally obtained so far jewelry, electronic devices and other valuables worth at 95,000 euros.
The felony charges they face refer to establishment of and participation in a criminal gang, thefts, forgery, and in cases charges for violation of drugs and weapons laws.
Tariel Zintiridis was World Champion for Judo for males under 20 in 2006.
Zintiridis was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and is of Greek descent. He is member of the Greek JudoFederation.
He told the court that he was planning to return to active sports.
*Vor V Zakone, a thief in law, is a network operating in a number of post-Soviet states. A thief in Law is a specifically granted formal status of a professional criminal who enjoys an elite position within the organized crime environment and employs informal authority over its lower-status members. Each new Vor is vetted (literally “crowned”, with respective rituals and tattoos) by consensus of several Vors. Vor culture is inseparable from prison organized crime: only repeatedly jailed convicts are eligible for Vor status.
