The Greek State demanded that our unemployed client paid 3.500.000 Euros.
In the past, he was the Legal Representative of a constructing company. In fact, the administration of the company was conducted by a close relative of our client, who used the latter as a “straw man”. The close relative was not legally qualified to act as a Legal Representative. Our client trusted this person due to their close relation.
Things started to look bad, when the de facto administrator, due to bad practice, accumulated a lot of debt for the company.
The debt was towards the Greek State, for 3.500.000 Euros.
Our client was arrested and spent time in prison. He was deeply shocked, seeing his life change overnight.
He was released from prison, because he was not considered dangerous for the public safety, but his release was valid only until the trial took place.
The first thing to do after being released, was to be officially relieved from his duties in the constructing company, and immediately exited the company.
We then took his case, to defend him from the charge of “not paying debts towards the State.”
Before the trial, his agony was apparent. He was very much afraid to go back to prison, an experience that he rated as the worse of his life. He was also afraid of how his 4-member family would cope.
In the Court hearing, we used as a witness in his favor, his accountant, who had worked in the accounting department of the constructing company, and knew what happened firsthand.
Our line of defense had three pillars:
First, due to an amendment to the legislation, most of the funds that indebted our client were no longer punishable under the specific charge against us. This meant that the charge should be dropped for about 3.000.000 Euros, since there was no legal way to amend it.
The second pillar was invoking the statute of limitations for the rest of the funds, which added up to 500.000 Euros, since the debt was accumulated over a decade ago, without a trial taking place.
The third pillar was to plead lack of deceit in part of our client, due to his lack of wrong action and the close relations and trust to the de facto administrator, leading our client not to research and question the actions of former. The truth of this allegation would be also verified by our witness.
We filed to the Court an official written report of our allegations, pleading “not guilty.”
The Court delivered the judgment, accepting our two first allegations, and dropped the charges.
The judgment brought for our client, a 10-year odyssey to an end.
Our client was cleared and, as a secondary beneficial result, was able to start over his professional life, because he was now fiscally cleared. He opened a restaurant, serving as a family business. He returned to his family, free from guilt and worries of the past, with everlasting peace of mind.
