Basketgate: Koromilas denies bribery and justifies €263,000 in his testimony
Chief referee Ilias Koromilas denied before the 9th investigating magistrate all charges relating to nine acts of bribery, citing legitimate income from Euroleague. Former Greek Basketball Federation (ΕΟΚ) president Vangelis Liolios was remanded in custody.
Koromilas to investigating magistrate: "I have never committed anything punishable" — justifies €263,000
Chief referee Ilias Koromilas gave testimony before the 9th investigating magistrate, categorically denying the charges against him for involvement in nine acts of bribery of referees and figures in Greek basketball. According to To Vima, the defendant maintained that throughout his career he operated exclusively within the limits of his official duties.
Following the completion of Koromilas's testimony, it is Tasos Piloidis's turn, whilst Vaso Tsaroucha is expected to testify last. With these three testimonies, the cycle of examination of the defendants from the first wave of arrests in the scandal known as "Basketgate" is concluded. Following the conclusion of this procedure, the investigating magistrate will proceed with further actions to clarify the case.
The €263,000 and the search of his home
The focus of Koromilas's testimony was on financial data. At the time of his arrest, the authorities found cash totalling €102,000 in his residence. The defendant submitted a series of supporting documents to prove that the sum came from legitimate sources.
Koromilas claims that he is in a position to justify a total sum reaching €263,000, which he attributes to his international activity as a referee and his cooperation with Euroleague: €193,000 correspond to severance payments following the end of his career, whilst the remaining €70,000 constitutes a special bonus, which was paid because he had incurred no misconduct during his international tenure.
According to his defence, the money was transferred through the banking system with the required supporting documentation. However, a large portion of it was subsequently withdrawn for serious personal and family reasons concerning a close relative of his.
Before the beginning of his testimony, Koromilas's accountant testified as a defence witness, presenting evidence which, according to the defence line, corroborates the defendant's financial claims.
The complaint by the Ukrainian referee regarding Eurocup 2021
The case file also includes a complaint by a Ukrainian referee, according to which Koromilas promised him a "gift" of €10,000 in order to favour the team Unics Kazan in the Eurocup final in 2021.
The defendant's side contends that this particular matter does not present criminal interest, as it had been examined in the past by the Greek judicial authorities and had been filed away. The defence characterises it as an old matter that has already been investigated.
Liolios remanded in custody: "serious evidence of guilt" and "particular depravity"
The testimonies today take place in the wake of decisions on the provisional detention of the first defendants. Following a marathon procedure lasting 12 hours that concluded late on Sunday evening, the 9th investigating magistrate decided to remand in custody the former president of the Greek Basketball Federation (ΕΟΚ) and of KAE Prometheus Patras, Vangelis Liolios, as well as businessman Giorgos Mavraghanis. On Friday evening, referee Petros Papapetrou was remanded in custody.
According to judicial information, the remand order for Liolios states that "serious evidence of guilt" emerges for acts committed on a continuous basis, whilst his claims were deemed unconvincing.
The judicial officer emphasises in the order the "particular depravity" of the alleged offences, which concern the offering of gifts, benefits and monetary payments for the purposes of influencing matches — an objective which, according to the order, "was indeed achieved". The conduct extends to matches in betting competitions, as well as to games in the Panhellenic Championships for Children, Youths and School Championships.
Liolios is alleged, according to the order, to have acted "without any hesitation and from base motives", utilising both institutional and extra-institutional access to the Greek basketball sphere. The investigating magistrate deemed that, if released, it is "highly likely he would commit further crimes", taking into account his conduct over time and his extensive connections with figures in Greek basketball.
Source: To Vima