ATHENS — Greek authorities have requested Panama for info relating to doable cash transfers from Qatar to accounts belonging to MEP Eva Kaili, who’s presently detained in Brussels pending trial over corruption allegations.
The chairman of Greece’s anti-money laundering authority, Charalampos Vourliotis, despatched an pressing request to authorities in Panama — a widely known tax haven with a fame for missing monetary transparency — asking to be told whether or not remittances of some €20 million had been transferred from Qatar to accounts that will have been opened by Kaili or her relations, in keeping with officers on the company.
The MEP and former European Parliament vice chairman has been in jail since December 9, after being arrested and charged in a sprawling probe into Qatar’s lobbying operation in Brussels that has additionally ensnared Kaili’s companion, a former MEP and an NGO boss. Shortly after Kaili’s arrest, Greece’s anti-money laundering authority froze all belongings belonging to Kaili and her household.
Vourliotis’ request got here after posts started circulating on social media that have been then picked up by Spanish and Greek media, purporting to point out banking paperwork for Panamian accounts belonging to Kaili and her relations receiving deposits originating in Qatar. The posts allege that the accounts have been held on the Bladex Financial institution of Panama and belonged to Kaili, her father Alexandros Kailis and her mom Maria Ignatiadou. They declare the accounts include €20 million collected by two deposits from Qatar to Kaili; €4 million by two deposits from Qatar to Kailis; and €4 million by two deposits from Qatar to Ignatiadou.
Kaili’s lawyer, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, who has insisted his shopper is harmless, stated the paperwork are faux and that he requested Greek authorities to request help from Panama “so as to set up the forgery of the paperwork of the legendary remittances from Qatar to Eva Kaili.”
Vourliotis requested Panama officers to examine whether or not there are any accounts beneath Kaili or her relations’ names, in addition to copies of their monetary transactions, and whether or not there are any security deposit containers held at Panamanian banks belonging to the household, and whether or not there’s proof of investments made in actual property.
Final week, Greek authorities seized an almost 1-hectare plot of land on the island of Paros purchased by Kaili and her companion, Francesco Giorgi, in addition to the account used to buy it, pending the money-laundering investigation.
Dimitrakopoulos stated the property buy was authorized and the cash used to purchase it got here from Kaili’s personal revenue.