eKathimerini — Businessman Yiannis Alafouzos said Wednesday that he “welcomed” a probe by authorities into his financial activities, after a prosecutor ordered the freezing of his assets.
According to Greek media, the decision is in the context of tax authorities investigation on 65 CDs containing data of one million Greek taxpayers who made transactions of more than €300,000 during the years 2000 and 2012.
Mr Alafouzos is the owner of private television and radio Skai Group, publisher of Kathimerini daily, owner of Ermis Maritime Holding and major shareholder and President of Panathinaikos FC.
Yannis Alafouzos was reportedly summoned to the investigating authorities to explain inconsistencies arising from research, but he was allegedly not able to justify the amount of nearly €50 million.
In a statement Mr Alafouzos said the probe follows repeated attacks against his business interests emanating from “known centres” but said he will cooperate and he insisted that all his income is derived from shipping activities abroad.
“The only activities I have in Greece are the investments I’ve made in the media for 26 years and continue to do so today, and my participation in the last four years in Panathinaikos,” he said in his statement, hinting that the timing of the probe, just before the private TV license tender, was suspect
