Vicky Stamati, the wife of former Greek defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos who is on trial for money laundering and corruption charges, told a three-member panel of the Athens Court of Appeal that she is innocent, had no part of her husband’s affairs and knows nothing about anything.
Stamati told the court that she does not have any relationships with the co-defendants in the case and was surprised to discover it was reported otherwise. She told the court to consider that she is a wife and a mother.
Tsochatzopoulos repeated many times, while she was responding to the questions, that she doesn’t know anything regarding offshore companies, foreign accounts and remmitances and she claims that her husband was responsible for their financial affairs.
Stamati also said that her husband arranged the loan that she received for the purchase of their mansion under the Acropolis, which has been confiscated by the state.
Questions concerning her luxurious lifestyle aroused the anger of her lawyer, Alexis Kougias, who said the court should show some humanity toward her. There was also tension between him and the lawyers for two of the other defendants, Nikos Zigras , Stelios Garipis, which continued during a break in the trial.
The owner of the bookshop Ianos, Nikos Karatzas is also in the dock and described the fact that he is defendant in the case as “a joke of God..” He is accused of selling shares of the company Ianos to a company proved to be associated with Akis Tsochatzopoulos. The trial is set to continue on Sept. 3.
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