"Playground" Case Thessaloniki: Asset Seizures and €300,000 in Luxembourg
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority has seized real estate and accounts of suspects in the NGO "Playground", identifying €300,000 via PayPal in Luxembourg.
Asset seizure in the "Playground" NGO case
Charalampos Vourliotis, head of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, has ordered the seizure of movable and immovable property of suspects in the "Playground" NGO case in Thessaloniki, according to reports in To Vima.
As part of the money-laundering investigation, the independent Authority identified, through examination of PayPal accounts, funds in Luxembourg totalling approximately €300,000. Competent sources clarified that the seized sums can be claimed by donors who deposited them, provided they submit documents proving their origin.
Four suspects before the investigative judge
Four suspects appeared before the Thessaloniki investigative judge, who are allegedly involved in a criminal organisation set up under the guise of the NGO. The organisation collected money through fundraising campaigns and donations, claiming to provide financial support to children with serious illnesses.
Among those who testified today was the 35-year-old partner of the 37-year-old founder of the NGO — who is the main suspect — as well as her brother. The same case file also includes an arbitrator and a president of a sports association, who are being prosecuted for illegal betting and match-fixing in local amateur football competitions.
Remand in custody for the partner — brother released
The 35-year-old, with the consent of the investigative judge and prosecutor, was placed in pre-trial detention. Her brother was released under restrictive conditions: prohibition from leaving the country and mandatory appearance at the local police station once a month.
Source: To Vima