The conversations reveal the inner workings of an extortion scheme orchestrated by private individuals and municipal police employees of the Municipality of Athens, targeting local business owners.
The leading members, a 43-year-old and a 64-year-old, approached shop owners, mainly in the Athens area, offering protection to avoid administrative violations.
As evidenced by the conversations, significant sums of money were involved, with some business owners expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment they received.
In one conversation, a business owner can be heard addressing the 43-year-old as “Nancy”:
Business Owner: Nancy, I think giving €12,000 and last year €16,000 and having this treatment is not the best. I would beg you very much within the week to make a very serious date. It is certainly not a treatment for someone who paid €16,000 for this trick last year. In other words, what is the protection if they close us for two days and we draw a seal? This is the protection, and to give this money?
Another conversation involves the two leading members discussing a store:
Member 1: Take care of F. In F, eh.
Member 2: In F. what should I do? Now where are they going?
Member 1: They won’t go now. He has many complaints. They will drop it, and we won’t know it.
Member 2: Mmm.
Member 1: Just tell him, don’t be so blatant too, man. In a way, but where should this man go too.
Member 2: What can I tell him over there?
Member 1: What can I tell you, my Nancy? I am telling you what they tell me, so that we inform them so that they do not say that we do not inform them. We tell them. It’s a few things, now he doesn’t know why he’s doing this, and it’s taking over. Because now they, they look at the electronic complaints, which no, there is no control over the situation, much. It’s just that some things are heard, they are getting ready to take a shower, without informing, you understand why, er there is a leak supposedly. So through this process, we know that something will happen. We don’t know when it will be. Of course, on the staircases that go out, they inform those who can inform who are closest to them, that if you happen to go here, you will be very loved. Take care. Did you understand; That is, if you fall into our couple, things are different.
Member 2: (Unintelligible content).
Member 1: If you fall for some other idiot, K. and what’s their name F. and the rest will kill him.
Member 2: F. usually goes to F.
Member 1: Yes. Nice. If it falls there, don’t get involved. Do you understand what I’m saying now? This F., the e, I have said. I have told them. Look because no day you will find him in any ditch. He is very “argumentative and makes a lot of bears.” Take care. He cannot become the king’s superior. It is done. He cannot replace the Deputy Mayor or the Mayor. What is he; Is he going to rebuild all of Athens? Within the framework that he defines, his kind will move. I have told them because I have flagged him for another matter, you know.
Member 2: Mmm.
In another conversation, the 43-year-old “leader” talks to a health worker:
Chief: Did you go to what you were telling me?
Hygienic: We went to one of the two on Friday.
Leader: Can you speak or not?
Hygienic: We went to the bakery.
Leader: Ah, the bakery.
Health: We’re just writing stupid checklists, and we’re in such a phase.
Leader: And? What did he say?
Hygienist: He didn’t justify anything, but this is a bakery, L didn’t tell him well. He makes regular buns there.
Leader: That’s right, I told him too, but he didn’t listen to me.
Sanitary: Yes, yes.
Chief: What did you tell him?
Hygienist: That.
Leader: Ah.
Hygienist: And we found. E about the.
The health worker then finds another unknown person whom she calls “Irini” and chats with her.
Hygienic: And what else did we find?
Irini: E about the.
Irini: She also makes pretzels.
Hygienic: It makes pretzels and buns that are a bakery product; it did not have the temperature of the incubator. Hey, what else did he have? I don’t remember them now.
Irini: Ah, she had no allergens.
Health: Allergens. Can you hear me?
Leader: Yes, I hear what you’re saying.
Irini: Let’s see them for a while.
Chief: Tell you, is that why he has no sanctions? Why is it the second one, is it a recheck, does it have no penalties?
Sanitary: Now, because he has done some things but he had done some things, sanctions are not yet in the sense that it is a partial compliance, he has done it. If he hadn’t done anything, he would have gone into shutdown.
Chief: Yeah, okay, so you’ll have to wait to go for another and another recheck.
Hygienist: Yes.
