A plenary session of Greece’s supreme court on Monday quashed a notorious lower first instance court decision acquitted a Greek man, now a fugitive, who claimed to control or manage upwards of 600 billion USD accumulated in six bearer bonds.
The bizarre case of Artemis Sorras fascinated a portion of the local public opinion over the past few years, and even generated a handful of international press articles, all until the former self-described businessman and his wife disappeared months ago after being convicted, in abstentia, over unrelated fraud charges.
A one-justice first instance court in Athens had acquitted Sorras of a charge of spreading false news, related directly to his claims of controlling the mythical sum.
For the current fugitive the high court reversal doesn’t mean a new trial on the same charge or indictment, rather he cannot submit or refer to the lower court ruling in deflecting legal challenges.
Monday’s published decision was highly critical of the lower court’s acquittal, pointing to omissions, along with deficient, incorrect and vague reasoning.
