Priests Steal €3 Million in Greece to Invest in Nightclubs
Two high-ranking Catholic priests in Greece stole €3 million and invested it in nightclubs, the Athens News Agency reports.
It all started when banks reported suspicious transfers of large sums to the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (HAMLA). Experts found out the route of the funds and determined the actual number of people involved in the fraud.
The Department found that 3 million euros were stolen from the treasury of the Catholic Church and invested in nightclubs. It turned out that this practice began eight years ago. The last suspicious transfer of 50 thousand euros was detected in October 2024.
Law enforcement agencies froze the bank accounts to which the funds were transferred and the assets of the owners of nightclubs in the Peloponnese.
After freezing the businessmen's assets, the prosecutor's office sent information to the headquarters of the Catholic Church of Greece to check the actions of the priests. The Vatican also received the information.
Law enforcement officers found that one of the nightclub owners had been involved in criminal offences in the past.