An investigation into funding received from national and European funds by a non-governmental organisation linked to a former member of parliament is being conducted by both the Anti-Corruption Authority and the Audit Office.
According to information obtained by Politis, the Audit Office’s report is in its final stages and its findings are expected to be made public once the document is completed.
The same sources said the Audit Office has already shared its findings relating to the case with investigators from the Anti-Corruption Authority, while Audit Office officials have been called to give statements as part of the investigation.
The investigation
As Politis reported in its previous edition, the former elected official is being investigated over alleged fraud and misappropriation of funds through a non-profit company that he founded and of which he is the sole shareholder.
The organisation is reported to have received a total of €1.3 million in European and national funding.
According to the same information, after examining complaints and evidence submitted to it, the Anti-Corruption Authority determined that there were grounds for further investigation to establish whether funds managed by the non-profit organisation had been misused. The funding had been allocated for specific purposes.
The two investigators
To investigate the case, the Anti-Corruption Authority appointed former Family Court president Sotiris Liasides and lawyer Nikolas P. Constantinou as inspection officers.
Both are experienced legal professionals who previously led the investigation into former EDEK president and former MP Marinos Sizopoulos.
In their report, key findings of which were published by the Anti-Corruption Authority on 12 September 2025, they identified possible breaches of various provisions of the Criminal Code by Sizopoulos, including fraud, forgery, the preparation and circulation of forged documents, and conspiracy to defraud.
Those findings led to a criminal investigation against Sizopoulos, while the report was forwarded to the Law Office for examination.
Former judge Sotiris Liasides was also appointed by the Council of Ministers as one of five criminal investigators tasked with examining issues raised in the Anti-Corruption Authority’s report on the so-called Mafia State case.
EU also requested an investigation
According to information obtained by Politis, the European Commission also requested that the matter be investigated.
The Commission reportedly became concerned after identifying grants totalling €1 million, originating from EU funds and awarded to the NGO in question, that were being managed by a single individual – the former MP, who is also the organisation’s sole shareholder.
Authority confirms investigation
Transparency Commissioner and head of the Anti-Corruption Authority Haris Pogiatzis confirmed yesterday to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that an investigation is being conducted into the former elected official.
However, he declined to comment further on the case.
Asked about the matter, Pogiatzis said that, in order to protect the integrity of the investigation process, the Authority does not comment on evidence under examination until its report is completed.
He also noted that information appearing in the media originates from other sources over which the Authority has no control.
Politis learned of the investigation after witnesses had already begun to be summoned to give evidence.
“I have all the evidence”
For his part, the former official under investigation is reported to maintain that he possesses all the necessary supporting documentation to justify the payments in question.
He has reportedly expressed confidence that there is no cause for concern.
