Monastery Greek real estate fraud and money laundering

At the request of the Prosecutor of Thessaloniki, police in Greece has been placed under house arrest Efrem, the abbot of the monastery of Vatopedi (Mount Athos), accused of a multimillion-dollar real estate fraud and money laundering, local radio stations reported .

The prosecutor in Thessaloniki, accompanied by police officers and a doctor came on Saturday in the autonomous territory of Mount Athos, on the island of Patmos, to examine the religious and determine if it can be stopped. Al found that his health is delicate, it was decided to keep it guarded house arrest in the convent.

The case broke in 2008, and several members of the conservative government then had to resign for alleged involvement The doctor said Sunday that the health of the religious "slightly improved" , so that "within two or three days may be transferred to jail. "

Efrem is a key figure in a scandal of misappropriation of public lands and money laundering that began in 2008 and in which they are implicated several members of the then Conservative government. Three ministers, including the State Zeódoros Rusópulos, had to resign, although it is doubtful that they are held.

They are also charged 32 others , mostly senior officials, but also a notary, wife of the then Minister of Maritime Affairs, Giorgos Voulgarakis, Greek and several well-known businessmen.

The Vatopedi monastery, built in the tenth century, claimed, from the early 2000, the property of Lake Vistonida and thousands hectares in the surrounding area. Based on alleged documents of the eleventh century, whose veracity has not been proven, the convent demanded that land.

A Greek court ruled in 2005 in favor of the convent in exchange for the land was state property of high value placed on the outskirts of Athens and Thessaloniki, which Efrem could make a profit of millions of dollars in profits.

Efrem's lawyers denounced Sunday "a politically motivated conspiracy "and asked the Supreme Court Prosecutor to cancel the arrest warrant issued by the Office of Appeals of Thessaloniki.

The abbot has close relationships with several Russian officials , including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin . His arrest provoked the indignation of the Russian foundation "Apostle Andreas", controlled by the head of the Russian Government.

The Archbishop of Athens, Ierone, criticized the arrest of the abbot and called it " extremely severe ", especially to have occurred on Christmas Day before Newyear 2012.