JUST IN: Nottingham Forest owner facing HUGE criminal offence allegations as Greek prosecutors set on taking MAJOR action.
Greek Shipping Tycoon Evangelos Marinakis Under Investigation for Police Officer’s Murder Linked to Olympiacos Hooligans
Evangelos Marinakis, shipping magnate and owner of Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest, is under criminal investigation in Greece for alleged involvement in the murder of police officer Giorgos Lyggeridis, who died last December during clashes with Olympiacos supporters. Lyggeridis was fatally injured by a naval flare during the altercation.
The prosecutor leading the case accuses Marinakis and senior Olympiacos staff of financing a criminal organization and inciting sports-related violence. The investigation focuses on the leadership of a hardcore group of Olympiacos fans, several of whom have already been convicted in connection to the case.
In his statement, the prosecutor argued: “The collected evidence suggests that the criminal organization may be covertly managed at the highest level by the club’s owner or executives. Without their support and protection, the organization’s leaders would not have the authority and control over lower members necessary for such extensive criminal activities.”
### **Marinakis and Olympiacos Deny Allegations**
Olympiacos FC has firmly denied the accusations, stating that Marinakis and the club have a “clear conscience.” In a statement, the club condemned the charges as an attempt at blackmail by political and business interests.
“This development, anticipated for weeks, represents another effort to blackmail Olympiacos FC and its president,” the statement read. “It continues the unjust targeting of our fans as part of a so-called criminal organization. This approach is politically motivated and manipulates the justice system.”
### **Hooligan Violence a Long-Standing Problem in Greek Sports**
Greek sports, particularly football, have long suffered from widespread fan violence, which often extends to basketball and volleyball.
In August 2023, AEK Athens fan Michalis Katsouris was fatally stabbed during clashes with Dinamo Zagreb hooligans. The incident led UEFA to postpone a Champions League qualifier between the two clubs, and nearly 100 arrests followed.
Another high-profile case occurred in February 2022 when 19-year-old Alkis Kambanos was murdered in Thessaloniki by PAOK supporters. The attackers assaulted Kambanos and his friends after questioning their allegiance to a rival team.
Since 1983, at least 13 people have died in Greece due to football-related violence. Recent cases, however, reveal that hooligan groups have become more organized, often using social media to recruit members and coordinate violent activities.