https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1294455/top-unionist-under-investigation-for-embezzlement/

Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority has frozen the assets of Yiannis Panagopoulos, the longtime president of the country’s largest private-sector labor union, amid a sweeping probe into the alleged embezzlement of tens of millions of euros in state and European Union funds.

Panagopoulos, who leads the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), is accused of being part of a scheme to siphon off funds intended for vocational training and education programs. The authority’s report, now in the hands of a public prosecutor, also implicates six other individuals and six companies. Officials have ordered the freezing of all corporate accounts involved and the seizure of two properties.

The investigation focuses on more than €73 million in funding received from national and EU sources between 2020 and 2025. Panagopoulos, acting as president of three different vocational institutes, allegedly directed the funds through a network of shell companies using “direct commissions” or rigged tenders.

According to investigators, many of these contracts were never published on the government’s transparency portal, Diavgeia. Furthermore, the companies selected often lacked the staff or infrastructure to perform the work. In several instances, the businesses allegedly served as a “veil of legality” to move at least €577,000 through artificial transactions.

Financial tracers also highlighted alarmingly high cash withdrawals exceeding €1.5 million, as well as unexplained transfers into the personal accounts of individuals linked to the suspects.

A prosecutor has launched a preliminary inquiry. Panagopoulos and the other suspects will be summoned to provide testimony before the court decides whether to file formal criminal charges.