There have been rapid developments in the case of the alleged Greek basketball match-fixing ring, as following their court appearances, it was decided that Ilias Koromilas would be remanded in custody, while Vasso Tsaroucha and Tasos Piloidis will remain under house arrest with electronic monitoring and will be barred from participating in the sport.
The three defendants denied the charges against them, presenting their own arguments before the judicial authorities.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The defendants’ claims
Tassos Piloidis, according to his defense team, has taken legal action against businessman Vangelis Tsapas, who is considered a key witness in the case, filing a lawsuit for perjury. He reportedly claimed that the allegations made against him do not correspond to reality, denying that he has received money or that he has faced disciplinary sanctions in the past.
Regarding the 2018 Faros-Aris game and the ejection of Panagiotis Giannakis—which has led to allegations of bribery— Piloidis reportedly denied any intention to harm the Greek coach, whom he described as a legend of Greek basketball.
For his part, Ilias Koromilas also denied the allegations. According to reports, he argued that he had no authority to select, appoint, or replace referees, as he was not a member of the Central Refereeing Committee. At the same time, he reportedly questioned the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the charges against him.
What the indictment includes
The case involves allegations of possible bribery and the provision of benefits to referees, athletes, and administrative officials, with the aim of influencing the course or outcome of basketball games that were part of betting events in Greece and abroad.
The indictment also includes acts allegedly intended to unlawfully interfere with games, either individually or in collaboration with others. The allegations and the acts attributed to the defendants are the subject of a judicial investigation.
Assets are also under scrutiny
Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, legal counsel for the Amarousio Basketball Club, also commented on the case while speaking on the program “Developments Now.” The well-known criminal defense attorney emphasized the seriousness of the charges and the conditions under which arrest warrants are issued, expressing his view that the judicial authorities have thoroughly reviewed the case file.
At the same time, he referred to the involvement of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, which is examining financial records and asset data of individuals linked to the case.
As he clarified, this specific intervention does not mean that a separate criminal prosecution for money laundering has already been filed. The goal, he noted, is to investigate the source of the funds and ensure that there are no transfers of assets that may be linked to illegal activity.
The investigation into the “Basketgate” case continues, with judicial authorities reviewing the evidence gathered and the statements of those involved.
*photo source: Eurokinissi
