NEWS

TV host, former media owner remanded in pretrial custody over debts

Popular television show host and former media owner Petros Kostopoulos on Tuesday was remanded in pretrial custody by an Athens prosecutor over outstanding debts to the state.

The former owner of Imako SA, a company that published magazines such as Nitro, Down Town and Greek Esquire, was charged over unpaid contributions to the IKA Social Security Foundation and rent on the company’s headquarters.

Imako filed for bankruptcy in February 2012, when it had outstanding debts of some 6.5 million euros, most of which have been settled since.

Kostopoulos himself is reported to have made a bankruptcy claim in September this year, though he is still alleged to owe 350,000 euros in rent for the building housing Imako’s headquarters, which was turned over to the state by the owner, and in IKA payments.

According to reports, the former publisher claimed that the company’s debts to IKA pertain to a period during which employees at Imako had gone on strike in protest at unpaid wages and after the company had filed for bankruptcy.

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