Shipowner Yiannis Karageorgis, aged 66, has been arrested following an international warrant issued by Dutch authorities. He is facing charges of fraud, forgery and fraudulent bankruptcy. The businessman was arrested in his home in the region of Glyfada, an upmarket coastal suburb south of Athens, on September 28. He was rushed to Asclepio hospital in Voula soon after his arrest where he is currently under guard.
The shipowner states that he was unaware that a Dutch arrest warrant had been issued. The prosecutor had charged him as though he had been a person of unknown residence without inviting him to testify before his arrest. He issued a statement claiming that he had conducted business activities in the Netherlands with Dutch partners in 2010 when he invested in the dairy industry. Unfortunately, he declared bankruptcy on this investment in 2011. Unbeknown to the businessman, an insolvency practitioner had been authorized to investigate the bankruptcy, however, Karageorgis had not once been called to testify. In turn, the insolvency practitioner filed with the Dutch prosecutor who issued an international warrant. Karageorgis claims that he was unaware that a warrant was out for his arrest and claims to not have ever been contacted by the Dutch authorities to give explanations regarding his business activities. Furthermore, he states he is unaware of the details of the charges against him and the wrongdoing he is reported to have committed.
“In respect of the law and without having ever committed an unlawful act, I will proceed to give explanations to any relevant judicial authority,” says the statement issued by Karageorgis from his hospital bed.