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Investigator Gabriel Malis has issued an arrest warrant for Syrian businessman Fouad al-Zayat. The Syrian is involved in the affair with the purchase of Russian missile systems TOR-M1. He is accused of bribery and money laundering. The businessman is involved in the affair of the dirty money which ended up in the pocket of ex-Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos through two offshore companies based in Cyprus and the Virgin Islands. An incurable gambler, one of the world elite of card players, a "whale" (as the biggest players are known), a businessman active in the field of marketing, catering, oil and banks, a broker on behalf of countries in the Middle East and Europe, including Greece, as well as an arms dealer - something he himself denies - are just some of his activities. His company, Drumilan, seems to be involved in the transfer of funds for the missile systems, according to Akis Tsohatzopoulos's cousin, Nikolaos.

Born on 24 August 1941 in Damascus, Fouad al-Zayat began studying law at the University of Damascus, but did not graduate, since, together with his fellow students, he was expelled for political reasons after the intervention of the secret police. He has been married since 1973 and has four children and six grandchildren. He has Syrian, Lebanese and Portuguese citizenship and speaks five languages (Arabic, French, English, Italian and Spanish).

The biggest casinos in the world, like London's Ridge and Aspinals, have been suing him for a long time. He does not deny his passion, but never misses the opportunity to condemn the policy of casinos, the sole purpose of which is to accept fat wallets and empty them. A fan of roulette and card tables, he is the embodiment of the evil from the James Bond movie, responsible for many dark affairs and judicial processes, he is of interest to intelligence services around the world, and the media.

He has trapped governments and politicians around the world in his nets - such as American Congressman Robert Ney, who was jailed for corruption and accepting gifts from the Syrian businessman. The mouth of the "whale" has also devoured the government of Iran in the past, with a contract for the purchase of an aeroplane, for which the Syrian took a big payment in advance, but never delivered the aircraft. As a result, he was kidnapped by Iranians in Lebanon in 2004, in order to be forced to return the prepayment - an agreement that he did not fulfil either, and which reached the British courts.

Despite all this, or perhaps because of it, he was honoured by state, religious and academic institutions of all kinds, as well as by the Russian government, at the expense of which he has been accumulating debts as a mediator for more than a decade.