Two Financial Crimes Squad officials remanded in custody over bribery claims
Two of the three Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) officials arrested last week on graft charges following a complaint lodged by a businessman based on the Ionian island of Lefkada were remanded in custody on Wednesday.
The two officials were charged with bribery and extortion after 10 hours of interrogation by police who released the head of SDOE’s western Greece department, Costas Brinias, saying that no evidence was found incriminating him.
The Lefkada businessman had claimed that he was being blackmailed by three SDOE employees to help him settle his outstanding tax debts. Police visiting the island for an inspection last Friday said they saw the two officials receiving 15,000 euros from the businessman at a local cafe.
The regional SDOE director, who the two officials had told interrogators was also involved in the racket, was freed after the businessman told police that he did not recognize him.
