Greece Investigates Public Officials over Alleged AML Violations

Greece has cracked down on suspected gambling-related money laundering and is preparing to probe some 200 people, including public officials, for ties to a fraudulent scheme.

AML Commission Suspects 200 People of Involvement in Fraud

The Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority has launched a sweeping probe into dozens of individuals who have been suspected of involvement in laundering money via gambling operators. Roughly 200 people have been suspected of involvement in such schemes, some of whom include senior public officials, reports say.

The initiative is led by former Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Charalampos Vourliotis and follows the identification of a scheme where individuals gambled huge amounts of money via legal gaming operators. Although the origin of the funds was never clarified, some players wagered sums as big as EUR 1 million.

The Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority understood that the transactions were made at a variety of intermediary shops, such as convenience stores and gas stations. The deposits entered the operators’ system, appearing as gambling account funds, before being transferred to personal bank accounts.

The scheme was discovered after the AML authority compared suspects’ tax returns with their gambling history and declared income. According to the commission, approximately 10 operators were involved in the scheme.

The AML Authority Has Informed the Greek Gaming Regulator

As mentioned, some of the 200 people involved in the alleged fraud include senior public officers tied to a variety of ministries.

According to reports, the individuals who are being probed include directors of ministries and public services whose official income did not match the sums they gambled.

The Hellenic AML Authority has since tipped the Hellenic Gaming Commission off about the suspected fraud.