NGO 'Paidiki Chara': Forged receipts, embezzlement and lawsuits against Firinidis's 35-year-old partner
The 35-year-old partner of Firinidis was brought before the prosecutor on 3 November 2026 for fraud involving the NGO 'Paidiki Chara'. Lawsuits are pending against her for embezzlement, forged receipts and defamatory slander.
Firinidis's partner brought before prosecutor for embezzlement and forged receipts
The 35-year-old woman brought before the prosecutor on 3 November 2026 in connection with the fraud case involving the NGO 'Paidiki Chara' was known to law enforcement authorities. Lawsuits had been filed against her by the charitable organisation 'Care for the Child' for embezzlement, fraud and defamatory slander, as she allegedly sold books and printed materials using forged receipts while keeping the revenue for her own benefit.
According to Newsit.gr, the activities of the 35-year-old and her partner Konstantinos Firinidis were not limited to 'Paidiki Chara'. The couple simultaneously used another charitable organisation to approach people and collect money.
The start of the case: April 2018 in Thessaloniki
The case began to unravel from 2018. In April of that year, the 35-year-old had become a member of 'Care for the Child' whilst simultaneously founding 'Paidiki Chara' — a fact she had not disclosed to the organisation in which she volunteered.
The lawyer for 'Care for the Child', Dimitra Skioti, described two specific incidents involving the couple to Newsit.gr. "During that period, unsuspecting citizens had approached us and complained to us that a boy and a girl were circulating in Thessaloniki and selling our printed materials, without carrying identity documents or any official capacity," she stated.
The printed materials were sold for 20 and 25 euros, with the two claiming that the money was intended for a child suffering from cancer. "They presented the situation in a particularly dramatic manner in order to convince people to donate money," said Skioti. According to the complaints, they also issued forged receipts: although the materials belonged to 'Care for the Child', the receipts showed a different tax identification number, a different address and headquarters, whilst the name of the organisation was not clearly legible.
A photograph-document published by Newsit.gr shows that the amount listed on the receipt was 5 euros — and not what was actually collected — whilst the company listed was fictitious.
Embezzlement of 1,400 euros and conviction
In October and November 2018, the embezzlement of money from the proceeds of sales of printed materials, periodicals, storybooks and greeting cards, which were intended to support children, was discovered. The amount appropriated by the 35-year-old was 1,400 euros.
"We contacted again the people who had reported the previous incidents to us. We sent them photographs and they unreservedly identified the two specific individuals," Skioti told Newsit.gr, adding that it was not a single witness but several people. The exchanged messages between citizens and the organisation confirmed that the two perpetrators were Firinidis and his partner.
The case went to court, however a separate criminal prosecution was not pursued for the sale of the materials, as some witnesses refused to become involved in legal proceedings — some of them lived abroad. For the embezzlement of 1,400 euros, the 35-year-old was convicted to a prison sentence with a three-year suspension.
Second lawsuit: Defamatory slander in 2020
The second incident occurred in the winter of 2020, shortly before New Year 2021. 'Care for the Child' was organising charitable events with the support of well-known figures from television and the artistic world. At that time, the 35-year-old and Firinidis began to contact celebrities via social media, making defamatory allegations against 'Care for the Child'.
"They told them not to cooperate with us, claiming that we keep donation money and do not return it to the children in need," Skioti stated. At the same time, the organisation discovered that the 35-year-old had founded 'Paidiki Chara' whilst continuing to work as a volunteer at 'Care for the Child', without having informed anyone. In 2020, a new lawsuit was filed for defamatory slander and damages were claimed.
The case, due to bureaucratic obstacles and the pandemic, was significantly delayed and was finally heard in April 2026, with the defendant ordered to pay compensation.
Source: Newsit.gr