May.30, 2010

ATHENS, Greece -- A state committee established to investigate money laundering has called for freezing the assets of former Transport Minister Anastasios Mantelis, who admits to receiving bribes from German electronics giant Siemens in 1998. On Thursday (May 27th), Mantelis was barred from leaving the country and charged with bribery and money laundering. The head of the anti-money laundering committee, Stelios Grozos, has also frozen the Greek bank account of Mantelis aide Giorgos Tsougranis, suspecting it was used for transferring money. The main opposition New Democracy party called last week for Costas Simitis, who headed the government at that time, to be questioned.