Greek prosecutor freezes assets of businessman Giannis Alafouzos

Alafouzos unable to justify 50 million Euros in tax statements between 2000-2012

Greek justice has frozen the assets of Giannis Alafouzos, owner of Skai TV and football club Panathinaikos, following audits by the tax office centre. Greece’s financial crimes prosecutor, Panayiotis Athanasiou ordered the freezing of moveable and immovable wealth of Alafouzos on Wednesday. The order for the freezing has been sent by the same prosecutor to the banks. The cause of the measure was reportedly in the context of a “tax audit” and his difficulties to justify to the Tax Control Center for Big Wealth (KEFOMEP) the amount of €50 million for the years 2000 to 2012. The freezing came about within the framework of a prosecutor’s probe regarding 65 CDs with information for over 1 million Greek taxpayers, who had transactions worth over 300,000 Euros between 2000 and 2012. According to information, Alafouzos was summoned by KEFOMEP to explain the discrepancies in his financial statements, but was unable to provide a convincing case for the €50 million Euros. Alafouzos released a statement after the news stressing that it was something he was expecting. ‘It is the result of a pre-determined action, which had more or less been predicted by incompetent officials two months ago, who are actively involved in circulating and disseminating relevant information with the investigations’, he said. He went on to say that those centres were well known and were viciously opposing for years his business activities in Greece (Panathinaikos, Skai TV).