The prosecutor had earlier requested the accused “due to lack of deception”
In 30 months in prison and a fine of 50,000 euros, with a three -year suspended sentence, he sentenced the One -Member Criminal Court in the Criminal Court. Stefano Kasselaki For the case of wherever you are. The president of the Democracy Movement, despite the opposite prosecutor’s proposal, was found guilty of the charge of participating by a political party leader in the administration of companies based abroad.
The prosecutor had earlier requested the accused “due to lack of deception”.
“As the accusations are alleged and the incidents were exposed, we think that at the time of the act, his election as the president of SYRIZA, he did not know, he did not believe that he would be elected party president. Where does this crisis raise? If he was aware of the legislative regime, it would be nothing to transfer the company to his brother as he did. It would have been protected in an earlier time and no issue would arise. Indeed, there was an issue with the payment of workers, dawn, and red, with the financier and the payment. The issue was also raised, “the prosecutor said, and continued” his informal legal adviser did not know his involvement in his corporate composition, he only knew that he had left in a more time from another company. We think that it came from the procedure and the documents that he had no fraud, the offense is not punished by negligence. Its exemption due to lack of deception. “
As an indictment witness he was examined by the court, Former SYRIZA General Manager Efthimios Georgopoulos While as a defense witness he testified, the Manolis Kapnissakis While Stefanos Kasselakis chose not to sit in the dock and be represented by his lawyer.
Mr. Georgopoulos, who was General Manager SYRIZA, from 2020 to 2024 when he was fired by Stefanos Kasselakis referred to the discussions they had to meet the financial needs that existed. “His answer was I will cover you, he was asking for the building as a guarantee. I said that by law it was forbidden to lend the party, “said the witness, who was called upon to explain when and under what circumstances a loan was granted.
“He was missing and in a phone conversation he wanted to be informed if there was money to pay the staff. There was a disbursement of 20,000 euros … “the witness described and went on to say that” there was an internal lending to cover the gift. The president and two other people gave money. “
The witness said he had informed Stefanos Kasselakis that they were expecting the last tranche of state funding and it is illegal to put his own money when he said he would make the move.
“I told him it was illegal. On the same day, state funding came in. I ordered the money to be refunded and actually returned, ”he said.
Mr. Georgopoulos testified that Stefanos Kasselakis himself was removed from his position. “The reason for the dismissal, as Mr Kapsakis conveyed to me, was that I did not show confidence when the president asked to lend the party with due covers. The President was personally abducted. He told me that I want to cut the cooperation, ”he said, noting that the close associate Manolis Kapnissakis were present in the discussions on loans.
Chairman: Don’t you know if he had a group that handled his legal affairs?
Witness: No.
Prosecutor: You said that you clarified him that he is not able to fund by a non -state company. What is the reason to get in touch with you and ask you for covers?
Witness: I said I can’t accept money in the party. There, there was a debate that a party could not be lent even by the president himself. I was informed by reporters and told me that we learned that the president lent the party. My answer was no and that will never happen. I told the “contradiction” that I informed the president and would not mess with the party to fall into the face of it.
Defense: Didn’t you know that it was forbidden to own the company?
Witness: I am not a lawyer … I didn’t know it I opposed the party to enter the party.
The witness insisted that the loan to the party “was unnecessary”.
“I insisted on the next day to be given the account to refund the money. And the 5th of the month I threatened that if they did not give me the account I would deposit them in the deposits and loans, “he said.
In the Witness’s step he went up to testify as a witness to defense Manolis Kapnissakis, Director of Stefanos Kasselakis’ Political Bureau Both the period that was president of SYRIZA and today in the Democracy Movement.
“I was a legal adviser to his family. When I didn’t advise him, I didn’t ask if he had another company in America. I knew he had left the company … because he was Managing Director. The other company was one of those associated with property and account. He did not know that he was forbidden and I had not informed him, “the witness testified, who said that” he did not know that a donation from a natural or legal person to a party of over 20,000 euros was forbidden. “
President: Did he take over a party leader, no one informed him?
Witness: Here, Mr. Kasselakis did not know that the donation of more than 20,000 euros to the party was forbidden.
Chairman: He is not a mere citizen here, he is a president with whole legal staff … SYRIZA had nothing? Tsipras?
Witness: No, nothing. Mr Kasselakis came to descend as a expatriate, when he decided to run he was a resident of America and his intra -party dominance was unexpected. In September 2023 it was elected and in December 2023 the borrowing was made. If he knew it, he would not lend from that company, he would do it with personal money or his brother because then the workers in the party and the media were unpaid. It was a pressing situation. When we went, it was an empty building with nothing and immediately the divisions were made, while state funding of 8 million reached 4 million due to electoral rates. Kasselakis, who was still abroad, did not know that they were banned by Greek law …
Regarding reports on possible participation in other companies, he talked about “false publications”. “He was president of opposition officials in the face of eulis elections. 101% do not actually respond. The publications are false for political and intra -party reasons. A company had, at Tiptree Inc. He was Managing Director, Administrator, virtually until Mary 2023. For Osios LLC I learned after the loan was granted in February 2024 and immediately took all actions to transfer the company, which is simply a bank account, to his brother. “
The case was targeted by Justice on the occasion of reports of mismatch statements wherever you were involved in participating in companies in the US during SYRIZA president.
Stefanos Kasselakis arrived at the courts of the former Evelpidon School shortly after 9am and initially chose in a statement to refer to the case of the leak of personal data from the interior ministry in which, as he was known, he was a witness. “Mrs. Asimakopoulou also tell us about breach of the rights of expatriate Greeks among whom I was also me.” Stefanos Kasselakis said speaking to television cameras as he crossed the courts of the courts.
Mr Kasselakis said he testified as a witness “for my well -known Greek expatriate living in the United Kingdom” noting that he himself was a recipient of a relevant email. “The idea that the leak was made by the Ministry of the Interior and does not involve Ms. Asimakopoulou is a downfall,” he added, “I personally will not seek financial compensation. There must be appropriate research so that it will never happen again. “
Referring to his own case, he described the prosecution against him. “This is the loan I did to my party, then in December 2023, I had just been elected president of SYRIZA. The prosecution for me is honored because this is the first case of a politician who lends his party and is in justice. I have donated the maximum amount to the party. Let this be an opportunity for everyone to discuss how there should be a new framework for transparency in the parties. The Democracy Movement has submitted a proposal for transparency in the parties so that there can be no other black money … I wish Dawn and Red can be paid. ” He mentioned characteristically and then left the courts.
Reportage: Maria Zacharopoulou