While the Excel document presented by Stefanos Kasselakis on Monday night was only one page, questions about the financial situation of the SYRIZA president have since intensified. The government has seized this opportunity to address the matter, especially given Mr. Kasselakis’ response to Mr. Mitsotakis’ challenge to disclose his full financial status. As a result, Mr. Kasselakis’ personal decision to make his assets public, despite contrary advice, has dominated the political debate leading up to Sunday’s European elections.
Σας παρουσιάζω όλα τα περιουσιακά μου στοιχεία.
Εγώ ήμουν επιχειρηματίας στην Αμερική, ό,τι απέκτησα ήταν με κόπο, μόνο το 2022 έβγαλα 49,8 εκατομμύρια κέρδος για τους επενδυτές μου.
Ο Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης πώς έγινε τόσο πλούσιος με τον μισθό του βουλευτή;
Πώς απέκτησε 39… pic.twitter.com/9LaFuik5WO
— Stefanos Kasselakis – Στέφανος Κασσελάκης (@skasselakis) June 3, 2024
In his interview with ANT1 yesterday, SYRIZA’s president reluctantly provided further details about his financial data, stating that his income came from fees and bonuses as he “generated $50 million in profits for investors.” This aligns with his previous statement on Monday, where he claimed to have “made a profit” of $49.8 million for investors in 2022.
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Kasselakis’ Financial Disclosures and Controversies
Mr. Kasselakis explained that the loan he took from an American bank to buy his New York house is serviced by the rent from the same property, showing an income of about $71,000 in rent without specifying the source. He also mentioned using his 2023 income to purchase a €1.8 million apartment in Kolonaki. He admitted to an “irregularity” by not stepping down from Miami-based OSIOS LLC within two months of becoming SYRIZA chairman, but emphasized that this did not harm Greek citizens.
Tiptree
Kasselakis’ financial past includes a lawsuit filed in April 2023 against Tiptree Inc., which acquired his company Swiftbulk. He claimed the agreement for his compensation was not fulfilled, resulting in a lawsuit for receiving only 2% of the company’s shares instead of the 5% due. Questions arise from his statements about Tiptree Maritime’s $49.8 million pre-tax profits, as the group’s net result was an $8.3 million loss in 2023.
The position taken by SYRIZA’s president, which he reiterated in Heraklion last night, is that the platform was not open for him to submit his detailed statement. He also mentioned in Thessaloniki that he is awaiting detailed information from the IRS to comprehensively describe his financial situation over time.
However, this explanation by Mr. Kasselakis raises some concerns. Typically, any obligated individual can submit an initial declaration on the existing platform, reflecting the date he was elected as SYRIZA leader in September 2023. When the new platform opens, he can then provide the full declaration, as required. Additionally, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis mentioned on Ertnews that he had submitted his a few months ago, after assuming his role as deputy minister and within the three month mandate.
