One of Europe’s most wanted criminals appeared before the judges of the 23rd Correctional Chamber on Tuesday afternoon, but the hearing was over almost before it had begun. Just 20 minutes after proceedings opened, it became clear that the defendant’s lawyer had resigned the previous Friday, having not been paid, leaving the case in limbo.
The defendant, now 59, faces charges of forgery, use of forged documents and fraud relating to incidents in 2013 and 2014. The Luxembourg-born man, who was living in Greece at the time of his arrest, is accused of impersonating a wealthy businessman and successful lawyer in order to defraud investors out of €5.4 million, money he allegedly used to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
Added to the list of Europe’s most wanted persons in November 2024, he was arrested in Athens a month later. He told the judges on Tuesday that he has now been in detention for over 16 months, including seven months in a Luxembourg prison. He has family in Greece, two children who are studying, and no means of earning an income.
Fearful that the trial might be postponed by a year, the defendant initially was willing to represent himself. It quickly became apparent, however, that he had not seen his case file and therefore had no detailed knowledge of the charges against him, making self-representation impossible in practice.
After a brief discussion, the defendant agreed to accept the name of a criminal lawyer from the presiding judge, a step that is expected to delay proceedings by a maximum of two to three months. The trial, which had been scheduled to run over two days, has now been postponed indefinitely. A number of civil parties were also present and ready to formally constitute themselves in the proceedings.
