In a landmark ruling shedding light on one of Greece’s most high-profile scandals, the Athens Single-Member Misdemeanor Court found guilty the two former protected witnesses in the Novartis case, known under the pseudonyms “Maximos Sarafis” and “Aikaterini Kelesi.”
Behind the concealed identities were Filistor Destempasidis and Maria Marangeli, both convicted of false accusations against political figures. The court sentenced Destempasidis to 25 months in prison and Marangeli to 33 months.
The Testimonies That Shook Politics
The case dates back to 2016–2017, when the two witnesses testified before then-Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki, alleging that ten senior politicians had been bribed by pharmaceutical giant Novartis, through its then-powerful executive in Greece, Konstantinos Frouzis.
Those named included two former prime ministers (Antonis Samaras, Panagiotis Pikrammenos) and former ministers (Giannis Stournaras, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Adonis Georgiadis, Evangelos Venizelos, Andreas Lykourentzos, Marios Salmas, Andreas Loverdos, Giorgos Koutroumanis).
The accusations pointed to crimes such as bribery, passive corruption, and breach of trust, sparking a political earthquake that deeply divided Greece’s public discourse and political system.
What the Court Decided
- Filistor Destempasidis was found guilty of false accusations against Adonis Georgiadis, Andreas Loverdos, and Nikos Maniadakis, while doubts remained for the rest of the names.
- Maria Marangeli was found guilty of false accusations against Adonis Georgiadis, Giannis Stournaras, Andreas Loverdos, Marios Salmas, and Antonis Samaras.
Ultimately, none of their allegations were proven. The case files concerning nine of the ten political figures were shelved, while Andreas Loverdos was formally acquitted by court ruling.
Closing a Turbulent Chapter
Today’s decision closes a cycle that began eight years ago with testimonies that shook Greece’s political and institutional order. With this ruling, the Novartis saga now bears the stamp of Justice, leaving behind a heavy mark on Greek political and social life.
Source: pagenews.gr