Brother of businessman arrested in extortion and fraud case

Authorities in Cyprus have arrested the brother of a 44-year-old businessman on charges of interfering with a judicial investigation. This follows the arrest of four individuals, including two businessmen from Larnaca and Nicosia, a prison inmate, and a 45-year-old woman. The investigation stems from a complaint filed by a 77-year-old man in March 2026, alleging that he was a victim of fraud and extortion between 2021 and 2024. The victim claimed that in 2021, he sold two properties for 3 million euros to a company managed by the 42-year-old Nicosia businessman. He subsequently alleged that the 44-year-old suspect coerced him into paying 40,000 euros by claiming a deal worth 8.5 million euros could be arranged. The District Court of Larnaca has ordered eight-day detention for three of the primary suspects and six-day detention for the Nicosia businessman. The brother of the Larnaca businessman is expected to appear in court tomorrow.