A scandal involving Catholic priests who funneled black money to nightclubs, with “investments” reaching up to 3 million euros, has led to ongoing investigations by the authorities.

At the center of the inquiry are nightclub owners, at least one of whom has a criminal record due to previous involvement in extortion, fraud, and threats. These criminal acts also had connections to the church, with reports mentioning an Orthodox priest who fell victim to one of these owners.

Two priests from the Syros diocese are implicated in the case, one of whom holds a high position in the hierarchy, and another from Crete.

The latest “record” identified by the anti-money laundering authority was a transfer of 50,000 euros to the businessman.

For the criminal investigation of the case, a report was sent to the prosecutorial authorities of the Catholic Church in Greece to investigate the two priests for embezzlement and the businessmen for money laundering.

8 Years of Activity

The origins of the case trace back eight years, as revealed by audits showing large sums of money leaving specific accounts managed by the two senior priests, ultimately ending up in accounts of particular nightclub owners, thus appearing as investments in such businesses.

Banking institutions alerted the authority, led by former deputy prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Charalambos Vourliotis, when they detected movements of significant amounts considered “suspicious.”

The next step for the anti-money laundering authority was to conduct a thorough investigation using all available “tools” to map the underground network and identify the actual number of individuals involved in the case.

As disclosed recently, there were indications of serious criminal acts, such as embezzlement and money laundering from illegal activities.

Consequently, Mr. Vourliotis initiated the freezing of bank accounts and assets belonging to nightclub owners in the Peloponnese.