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Shortly before the end of the trial against infamous football boss Makis Psomiadis, the prosecutor asked for his freeing from guilt, with regard to the majority of the charges against him, which include formation, involvement and leadership of a criminal group as well as giving and receiving bribes in connection with the prearrangement of the results of four football matches.

According to Virginia Sakelaropoulou, sufficient evidence of a criminal group that had prearranged the results of the matches in the Greek championship for a fee had not been presented in the courtroom. She suggested that the court should change the charge of extortion (to the degree of felony) to an attempted blackmailing to the same degree and annul the charges of illegal gambling and money laundering carried out by Makis Psomiadis.

 
Photo: FOSPHOTOS / Panayiotis Tzamaros

The investigation against the former president of AEK football club began in 2011 when the Greek police and the service combating financial crime apprehended 10 people on charges that they had arranged in advance the results of 41 football matches that were part of the list of UEFA. The charges against the ten defendants included fraud, illegal gambling, money laundering and involvement in a criminal group. Later, another participant in the criminal scheme had joined the group.

At first, Psomiadis was released from custody after the imposition of restrictive measures on him. Immediately after his release from prison, he disappeared and an international warrant for his arrest had been issued. Two months later, the police in Macedonia caught him and delivered the controversial football boss to the Greek judicial authorities, after he spent some time in prison in Skopje.

Psomiadis’ son, Stavros, is also a defendant in the case, which is heard in the Court of Appeal in Athens. According to the prosecutor, the court should cancel all charges against him, which are formation of, and involvement in, a criminal group, giving and receiving bribes, and illegal gambling.

In her pleading, the prosecutor asked for severe sentences for seven out of the eleven main defendants. In parallel, she made ​​accusations against the president of the Hellenic Football Federation, Sofoklis Pilavios, and other witnesses for their position. "Pilavios is a vulnerable person, ready to yield, and has not contributed towards the unravelling of the case," said Sakelaropoulou, adding that the situation in Greek football is quite obscure.

It is expected that the sentences will be announced next week.