An article written by our Partner Sotiris Perivolarakis and his team has been published in hashtag#Legal500emea regarding a case emphasizing on the crucial point that criminal courts operate independently of civil judgments, underscoring the importance of a fair trial and the pursuit of justice. Our law firm recently achieved a remarkable victory in a complex criminal case of felony embezzlement and felony misappropriation of funds, totaling over €1 million in alleged damages. The case, involving a former CEO of a TV channel in the Peloponnese, was heard by both Kalamata’s Three-Member and Five-Member Felony Appeals Courts.
The challenge was immense, as two final civil court decisions had already ruled in favor of the TV company, ordering our client to pay substantial damages. Additionally, a report from a renowned audit firm had reinforced the accusations. Despite these factors, we presented strong legal arguments that criminal courts are not bound by civil court decisions, even if they are final.
At the first instance, the court acquitted our client of misappropriation, though he was convicted of embezzling €261,000 and sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment with probation. On appeal, we uncovered discrepancies in the audit report, leading to the downgrading of the charge from felony to misdemeanor and, ultimately, the complete acquittal of our client due to the statute of limitations.

Follow the link to read more:
https://lnkd.in/dYZZHJuz/