German prosecutors probe alleged arms deal kickbacks to Greek officials
Prosecutors in Munich have led searches at the homes of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) employees in Germany after it was alleged in Athens that the arms company had paid bribes to Greek officials, sources have told Kathimerini.
The searches took place after former Defense Ministry official Antonis Kantas recently told Greek judicial authorities that he had been bribed to agree to the purchase of 24 self-propelled howitzers made by KFW in 2000. Arms dealer Dimitris Papachristos, who was KMW’s representative in Greece, also admitted that kickbacks were paid. Kantas and Papachristos are in pretrial custody.
German prosecutors are also investigating the sale of 170 Leopard 2 tanks to Greece by KMW more than a decade ago.
