The Siemens scandal had more twists and turns last week with two Siemens officials being hospitalised and remanded following their testimony, the wife and three daughters of a fugitive executive arrested for money laundering and a warrant issued for the arrest of the former CEO of Siemens Hellas by a German court.
Ilias Georgiou, 68, will be jailed after he is released from hospital, after falling ill during his appearance before investigating magistrate, Nikos Zagorianos.
Georgiou has been charged with bribery and money laundering over a 1990s contract Siemens won with Greece’s major telecommunications company, OTE.
Former OTE executive Giorgos Skarpelis was also placed in temporary custody after collapsing during his appearance before Zagorianos.
Georgiou and Skarpelis both said they were not willing to give testimony because their lawyers had not been allowed to see all the case documents.
Greek judicial authorities appear to be doing all they can to put pressure on former Siemens financial director Christos Karavelas to return to Greece after magistrate Nikos Zagorianos decided yesterday to remand his wife Martha and one of his daughters.
Karavelas’s two other daughters, Alexia and Phoebe, were released on bail of 1 million euros each.
Karavelas has also been charged with bribery and money laundering over the 1990s contract with OTE.
His arrest was ordered last week after he failed to appear before an investigating magistrate.
A warrant for the arrest of the chief suspect in the Siemens probe was issued by a German court for the arrest of the former Siemens Hellas CEO Michalis Christoforakos, who evaded Greek justice by fleeing to Germany last month.
Christoforakos is suspected of being the main player in the setting up of a slush fund that was allegedly used to pay off politicians and public officials so that Siemens could secure government contracts.
Greek officials are also investigating alleged corruption in deals between Siemens and the state involving security systems for the 2004 Athens Olympics.