Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis said on Thursday that the investigation into the so-called “Sandy” case aims solely to establish the truth on the basis of evidence, stressing that no one is above the law and that authorities are not pursuing any preconceived narrative.
Speaking at the Traffic Education Park, Arnaoutis acknowledged that the case affects public trust in institutions and said he understands the concerns expressed by society. “The investigation is not being carried out to confirm any narrative,” he said. “It is being conducted to reach the truth on the basis of evidence.” He added that police have proceeded “substantively” and have “reached the core of the investigation”.
He underlined that such cases must be examined properly, adding: “No individual is above the law or the process. No one can be targeted without evidence.”
Sworn affidavit before the court
Police disclosures centre on a sworn affidavit submitted to court to secure a search warrant for the premises of lawyer Nikos Clerides. According to information cited by police sources and reproduced by Philenews, the affidavit includes testimony suggesting that the woman referred to as “Sandy” developed an obsession with former judge Michalis Christodoulou.
The affidavit reportedly draws on a large number of witness statements and official records and, if accurate, challenges several claims that have circulated publicly. Police say the material indicates that the woman has one child, confirmed by relatives and state records, and that she worked in Cyprus between 2001 and 2023, contradicting claims that she lived abroad during that period. Records also reportedly show use of healthcare services through the General Healthcare System in that period.
The affidavit further refers to alleged use of applications capable of generating fake calls and messages. The woman reportedly told investigators that she used such applications and that the phone involved was handed to Clerides, a claim he denies.
Former judge Christodoulou is also quoted as saying he met “Sandy” in 2020 and had limited contact with her, rejecting any romantic or financial relationship. According to the affidavit, the woman herself said she strongly identified with the persona she had created, admitted fabricating messages impulsively, acknowledged an obsession with the former judge, and said messages recently published are fake.
Police are investigating 12 serious offences allegedly committed between 2019 and the present, including conspiracy, forgery, dissemination of false information, personal data violations, illegal interceptions and money laundering. The contents of the affidavit were reported by Philenews journalist Michalis Hadjivasilis, who stressed that the claims form part of an ongoing investigation and are not established facts.
Drousiotis challenges police handling
Journalist Makarios Drousiotis has publicly disputed the police approach, accusing authorities of adopting early on the position that the disputed messages were fabricated and of seeking to construct alibis rather than conduct a substantive investigation.
In a detailed public post, Drousiotis questioned the handling of evidence, forensic findings and the lack of an independent investigative mechanism. He said police told him the messages had been sent to Europol for examination and that no independent team was required, a stance he criticised.
In the post, Drousiotis wrote: “Only in a corrupt state from top to bottom does the police, instead of investigating potential crimes, exhaust itself in constructing alibis for suspects.”
He argued that proper forensic analysis cannot be carried out without the primary devices and raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. He also claimed that forensic data showed relevant applications were installed in late 2025 and early 2026, which he says does not align with the timeline of the alleged messages. Drousiotis further alleged that a second device mentioned by “Sandy” was never located and that no additional search warrants appear to have been executed.
He said he had provided police with more than 130 messages and audio material, some of which he chose to publish publicly to protect himself after learning of police searches at Clerides’ home.
Mitsotakis slams 'toxic climate'
Separately, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned against what he described as a “toxic climate” of personal attacks during a parliamentary debate on the rule of law. Referring to the serious health ordeal of Giorgos Mylonakis, Mitsotakis said that political opponents and their families are being smeared, using language that “can turn into bullets”.
The “Sandy” case remains under active investigation, with authorities and critics offering sharply differing accounts, as scrutiny intensifies over evidence, procedures and institutional credibility.