NGO "Playroom" Thessaloniki: €3 million extracted from ~95 fundraisers for sick children
At least €3 million was extracted from approximately 95 fundraisers conducted through the NGO "Playroom" in Thessaloniki. Parents received up to 30% of the money.
Multi-million euro fraud through fundraisers for sick children in Thessaloniki
At least three million euros were extracted from approximately 95 fundraisers intended to support children with serious illnesses, according to reports by Ta Nea regarding the case of the NGO "Playroom" in Thessaloniki. The investigation reveals a systematic fraud mechanism that exploited the willingness of thousands of citizens to help sick minors.
How the scheme worked
The organisation's officials used emotionally charged posts on social media to attract donors. They publicly committed to "transparency at all levels" and "respect and dignity towards every child and family", while simultaneously questioning the transparency of other organisations, urging citizens to think twice before donating elsewhere.
To maximise the amounts collected, they presented inflated medical expenses or displayed certain costs as uncovered, whilst in reality they were covered by insurance providers.
What families received — and where the rest went
From the money collected, parents of sick children received, at best, between 10% and 30%. The remaining amount, according to the investigation's findings, was channelled towards covering the luxurious lifestyle of the NGO's executives, towards "investments" in football teams in Pieria, and in betting companies.
The organisation had been founded in 2018, with its officials presenting themselves as "a group of young people" who "joined forces" to bring joy to sick children — invoking even their own difficult personal experiences.
Long history of scandals in NGOs
The case of "Playroom" is not isolated. Ta Nea presents in detail the cycle of similar cases that characterises the philanthropic sector in Greece:
During the period 2013–2015, financial liabilities of over 40 million euros and a deficit of 16.6 million euros were identified, concerning bequests to the Red Cross. In 2018, a scandal at the Greek office of UNICEF was uncovered, with officials having embezzled revenues from the sale of Christmas cards.
In January 2024, criminal prosecution was brought for infidelity, embezzlement and money laundering against four members of "Ark of the World". The Financial Police's report recorded expenses exceeding two million euros, with some works being presented as not carried out or incomplete. The same year, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority submitted a report concerning at least 600,000 euros from donations to the NGO "The Other Person – Social Kitchen".
Additionally, suspicious activities have been detected in at least seven further NGOs managing funds for minors and refugees.
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority had already warned
In 2023, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority had produced a report titled "Abusive Exploitation of Non-Profit Organisations — Methodologies, Risk Indicators, Vulnerabilities". The report recorded characteristic practices, including: use of donations for personal expenses of administrators, use of organisations' properties as private residences, NGO contracts with executives' personal businesses, transfers of money to companies with no actual activity, and remittances to foreign companies.
Despite repeated revelations and official warnings, the cycle of fraud in the philanthropic sector, as Ta Nea emphasises, remains open.
Source: Ta Nea