Greek ex-minister arrested for money laundering
A Greek prosecutor decided on Monday to jail a former defense minister pending trial on money laundering charges in the most high-profile case against a politician in decades of corruption scandals, Reuters reported.
Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who has held various portfolios including defense since the 1980s, faces felony charges in relation to property deals and possible tax violations.
Tsohatzopoulos nearly became prime minister in 1996 only to be narrowly defeated in an internal party vote to become chairman of the then ruling Socialist PASOK party.
Since quitting politics in 2009, he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in a string of affairs investigated by court prosecutors, including the use of offshore companies to buy a luxurious mansion in Athens and the sale of German submarines to Greece.
In 2011, PASOK expelled Tsohatzopoulos after lawmakers asked that he be indicted in connection with the submarine procurement deal with German firm Ferrostaal.