The director of a tax office and an employee have been detained pending their trial in connection with extorting taxpayers with illegal fees to service their cases. An additional five suspects implicated in the alleged ring have been released, authorities have said, following their appearance before a prosecutor and investigating magistrate in Chalkida.
All of the accused denied involvement.
Specifically, the tax director insisted that the alleged bribes were linked to tax revenues, accusing the entrepreneur who lodged the accusations of “setting her up.”
All other suspects have been prohibited from leaving the country with bail set at 10,000 euros each, requiring them to check in with police twice a month.
The seven detainees face a weighty indictment, including testimony from business owners who claim to have fallen victim to their criminal activities. Additionally, telephone records provided to judicial officials add to the damning evidence against them.
Among the charges they individually face are creating criminal organization, bribery, dereliction of duty, extortion, corruption, and possession of firearms.
Visual evidence also shows an intermediary of the alleged scheme existing at the tax office, clutching an envelope handed to her by the director after the reported extortion by the entrepreneur.