NGO "Playground" scandal: Four defendants before investigating magistrate over embezzlement of donations
Hearings have begun in the NGO "Playground" scandal, with more than €5.8 million having been transferred to the organisation's accounts.
Hearings in "Playground" NGO case: More than €2.8 million never reached families
Hearings of the defendants in the NGO "Playground" scandal began today, according to Ethnos. Among the first four to appear before the investigating magistrate are the partner of the organisation's president, her brother, and two other individuals connected to the NGO. On Thursday, a fifth person is expected to give a statement, with the organisation's president himself set to appear last.
Members of the organisation are alleged to have diverted part of the money from fundraising efforts — which were organised in the name of children with serious health problems — to personal needs and luxury pursuits: expensive suites, branded purchases, and nightlife entertainment with bills running into thousands of euros.
How the case was uncovered
The investigation was conducted by the Economic Crimes Prosecution Department of the Organised Crime Combating Division of Northern Greece and resulted in dismantling a criminal organisation of six members with two distinct sub-groups. The first is alleged to have been responsible for defrauding donors and embezzling money from fundraising activities. The second is alleged to have engaged in manipulation of football matches and illegal gambling.
The NGO was founded in 2018 with the stated purpose of collecting money for children with serious health problems — mainly cancer and disability. The administrators selected specific children as beneficiaries and posted photographs and information about their health status on social media, describing in detail the financial needs of the families. Through Facebook and Instagram, appeals were made for coverage of hospitalisation expenses, medical procedures, transport costs and accommodation.
In this manner, according to the authorities, the organisation managed to build a strong credibility profile, attracting thousands of donors — among them well-known artists, athletes and businesspeople, whose donations were publicly promoted to further enhance public trust.
€5.8 million in bank accounts
The financial investigation was carried out with the assistance of the Financial Crime Combat Authority. A total of 29 bank accounts and payment institution accounts in Greece and abroad were examined, and more than 246,000 bank transactions were analysed.
During the period 2018–2026, the organisation's accounts and personal accounts of the principal administrator had received a total of more than €5.8 million. The exact amount of money collected in cash — from events and collection boxes placed at various locations across the country — remains unknown.
According to the data, donations were deposited both in the organisation's accounts and in personal accounts via IRIS. Subsequently, amounts that did not reach the families were transferred to personal accounts, withdrawn in cash or appeared as transactions of companies that are alleged to have been established to conceal the true origin of the funds.
From the statements of parents of 34 beneficiary children identified and examined as part of the investigation, it emerged that the families received a total of approximately €1,111,176, while the corresponding donation deposits amounted to €3,940,692. The difference — approximately €2,829,516 — represents the amount that, according to the police investigation, was not disbursed for the purpose for which it had been collected.
The victims: Families who received nothing
For a child from northern Greece facing a serious neurological problem, €73,200.43 was collected from donations. His family received no money. According to the police investigation, those responsible for the NGO are alleged to have falsely claimed that the money had been frozen due to lack of appropriate documentation.
A young man suffering from acute myelogenous leukaemia died in July 2021. For this family, two fundraising events were organised — one for living expenses and one for funeral costs. A total of €136,374.95 was collected, but the family received only €7,000. The remaining €129,374.95 was not returned to the beneficiaries, according to the investigation's findings.
A similar case concerns a child who faced an aggressive form of cancer and died in August 2026. Four different fundraising events were held for this child, through which a total of €340,421.28 was collected. The family received only €55,800 — with €284,621.28 not being returned to the beneficiaries, according to the information included in the case file. Investigations to identify other victim families are continuing.
Source: Ethnos