Six individuals arrested in Greek basketball match-fixing scandal

On October 22, 2026, six individuals were brought before a Greek investigator at the Evelpidon courts following their arrests the previous day in connection with a massive match-fixing scandal. The detainees, who include Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) President Vangelis Liolios, referees Vasiliki Tsaroucha, Petros Papapetrou, and Tasos Piloidis, head of referees Ilias Koromilas, and businessman Giorgos Mavraganis, requested and were granted a three-day delay to prepare their defense and remain in police custody at the GADA headquarters.

Police conducted raids at the suspects' residences, resulting in the seizure of 931,463 euros in cash, various digital devices including mobile phones, laptops, and USB drives, as well as team apparel and documents. The charges involve bribery and sports legislation violations. Allegations suggest widespread manipulation spanning across all competition levels, from school leagues to the professional A1 division.

In response to the scandal, Sports Minister Giannis Vroutsis announced the immediate suspension of funding for the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Additionally, the ministry has ordered an exhaustive audit of the organization's financial records from 2024 through 2026 to address the corruption concerns.