Authorities freeze assets in major tax fraud cases involving Pizza Fan and Choriatiko

Charalampos Vourliotis, head of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, has ordered the freezing of all assets, bank accounts, and safe deposit boxes belonging to individuals implicated in major tax fraud investigations involving the Pizza Fan chain and the Choriatiko bakery chain. The order specifically exempts payroll accounts to ensure employees continue to receive their wages without interruption.

The investigations involve criminal charges, including the formation of a criminal organization and tax evasion exceeding 150,000 euros through VAT avoidance and inaccurate income statements. While five suspects related to the Pizza Fan case—including accountants, a developer, and a franchise owner—were released on Monday with restrictive conditions and 5,000 euro bail, the legal proceedings remain ongoing. The owner of Pizza Fan is scheduled to testify before an investigator on Tuesday regarding alleged tax evasion totaling 25 million euros and the discovery of one million euros in cash hidden in his residence.

The defense for the Pizza Fan owner stated he intends to file corrective tax returns to settle outstanding obligations while denying allegations of extortion and illegal money laundering. Further testimonies from the remaining five suspects in the Pizza Fan case are expected to continue as part of the broader legal process.