NGO Paidiki Chara president remanded in custody over multi-million euro fraud

Konstantinos Firinidis, the 37-year-old president and founder of the Greek NGO Paidiki Chara, was remanded in custody on November 5, 2026, following allegations of large-scale financial fraud. Authorities are investigating the misappropriation of funds collected through charity drives intended for children with serious illnesses. Estimates regarding the total embezzled amount vary, with the prosecution citing approximately 2.9 million euros, while Firinidis admitted to the unaccounted loss of 400,000 to 600,000 euros, attributing his actions to a severe gambling addiction and delusions of grandeur.

The case gained public attention following testimonies from families, such as that of Panagiotis Theodoridis, who claimed the organization raised 75,000 euros in his child's name without providing any aid. Audio recordings also surfaced, depicting Firinidis acting aggressively toward donors who delayed payments. His partner, Vasiliki Manisioti, was also remanded in custody earlier in the investigation; she reportedly shifted the blame onto Firinidis for the missing funds.

Legal proceedings are ongoing, with Firinidis facing additional inquiries regarding potential links between the misappropriated funds and match-fixing in sports. While the NGO's leadership remains detained, several other involved individuals, including a referee and a sports official, were released under restrictive conditions pending further judicial review.