NGO "Playground" Fraud: €2.8 Million in Members' Pockets from Donations for Sick Children
Six members of the NGO were arrested for embezzling nearly €3 million from fundraisers for children with serious illnesses. Of €3.94 million in donations, only €1.1 million reached the families.
Association-NGO raised €4 million — vast majority did not go to sick children
Of €3,940,692 collected through fundraisers for children with serious health problems, only €1,111,176 was delivered to families — the illegal profit gained by the organisation is estimated at approximately €2,829,516. These figures emerge from financial investigation conducted by the Financial Crimes Investigation Department, according to In.gr.
Six people were arrested as core members of a criminal organisation operating behind the association-NGO "Playground". Konstantia Dimoglídou, spokesperson for the Greek Police, discussed the case on ERT News, noting that the arrested individuals are alleged to have formed the nucleus of the organisation.
Artists, athletes and businesspeople among the donors
NGO members raised money from citizens without possessing the required legal permit to conduct fundraisers. Among the donors who fell victim to the organisation were identified artists, athletes and businesspeople.
To extract money, members of the first sub-group — consisting of a 37-year-old, a 35-year-old and a 32-year-old — selected children suffering from serious illnesses, primarily forms of cancer, as "beneficiaries". They then posted content on social media with photographs of the children and descriptions of their needs — medical procedures, hospitalisation, transport, accommodation. This activity systematically exploited citizens' sensitivity.
The first sub-group operated at least from October 2018. The majority of the money was appropriated by the 37-year-old and the 35-year-old.
92 fundraising campaigns for 74 individuals
Cross-checks revealed a total of 92 fundraising campaigns for 74 beneficiary individuals, of which 55 have been identified. During the police operation, parents of 34 children were interviewed — comparison of their statements with financial data revealed the full scale of the embezzlement.
Part of the illegal proceeds went to betting companies, and according to Dimoglídou, money from the donations was also used for fixing results of football matches — both amateur and professional — and for financing a specific sports association.
Luxury lifestyle from stolen donations
Illegal proceeds ensured a luxurious lifestyle for organisation members. Financial investigation identified spending on purchases of luxury branded products, stays at luxury accommodation facilities, meals at restaurants and expenses for a health and wellness facility.
Members had developed a sophisticated money laundering mechanism aimed at disconnecting the funds from their illegal source. The criminal organisation was structured into two sub-groups with distinct areas of operation and one common member who ensured their interconnection.
Seizure of accounts in Greece and abroad
Charges were filed against the arrested individuals for criminal organisation, aggravated fraud, aggravated embezzlement, money laundering from criminal activities, violation of sports legislation, as well as bribery and accepting bribes for fixing match results.
The Financial Crimes Authority proceeded to seize bank and betting accounts belonging to the 37-year-old, the 35-year-old and the association, both in Greece and abroad.
The investigation continues to establish the full extent of the criminal activities of the organisation. Investigation followed a complaint regarding the transparency of the association's operations, an order from the prosecutor and subsequent coordinated police and financial investigation.
Source: In.gr