Full Breakdown
Cyprus Anti-Corruption Authority Refers Former President Nicos Anastasiades to Prosecutors
6/24/2026, 7:39:22 AM
Referral of Former President Nicos Anastasiades
Cyprus’s Independent Anti-Corruption Authority has referred former President Nicos Anastasiades to the attorney general for criminal prosecution. The statement cites “potential acts of corruption” and “abuse of power” during his term, including attempts to sway investigations, intervene in a citizenship, and hinder an anti-money-laundering probe involving his former law firm.
Origins and Scope of the Probe
The investigation began after Makarios Drousiotis, a former presidential aide, published the 2022 book *Kratos Mafia* alleging corruption. The authority’s inquiry produced a final report of 3,000 pages, held 200 hearings and cost €1 million. Earlier reports—OCCRP’s 2019 “Troika Laundromat” exposé and the 2021 Pandora Papers—had already implicated Anastasiades’s former firm in Russian money transfers.
Key Actors and Alleged Offenses
Authority identified seven suspected offenses against Anastasiades: three counts of influence trading, three of abuse of power and one felony. Nicos Chr. Anastasiades & Partners, partners Stathis Lemis and Theophanis Phillipou, face influence-trading charges; Phillipou also allegedly perjured himself by denying assets of Leonid Lebedev while managing a €17 million trust. Alexander Abramov, Leonid Lebedev and Dmitry Rybolovlev are named in fast-tracked “Golden Passport” cases. Probe links €2 million slush-fund through Focus Maritime Corp. to 2013 Laiki Bank collapse and to DISY and AKEL donations. Lawmaker George Varnava denies the allegations.
Official Statements and Responses
Anastasiades said most accusations were never presented to him, denying a chance to respond, and called Drousiotis’s claims “collapsed as unfounded.” He labelled the allegations false, filed defamation suits. Lawmaker George Varnava disputed the findings. The anti-corruption authority emphasized the presumption of innocence, noting that “only a court of law is competent to determine a person’s guilt.”
Criticism and Calls for Independent Prosecution
Attorney Lito Cariolou demanded the recusal of Attorney General George Savvides and Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides, citing their appointments by Anastasiades as compromising independence. They stepped aside. The anti-corruption authority was created in 2022 after EU and U.S. calls to address Cyprus’s reputation as a conduit for Russian interests.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Anastasiades says investigators never presented the accusations, yet the authority’s report records his testimony and witness interviews. Drousiotis alleges spyware surveillance of his research, a claim not independently verified. The anti-corruption body can only recommend charges; prosecution requires a decision by the attorney general, whose recusal leaves the next step uncertain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “most of the accusations identified by the investigators had never been put to him during the inquiry, depriving him of the opportunity to provide documented responses.” — Nicos Anastasiades, Former President of Cyprus
- “it is impossible to have the necessary public confidence that they can assess the next steps ... with the necessary independence and objectivity.” — Lito Cariolou, Attorney for Makarios Drousiotis
- “only a court of law is competent to determine a person’s guilt.” — Independent Anti-Corruption Authority
Next Steps
Findings were sent to the state Legal Service and tax commissioner; a new independent prosecutor must decide on formal indictments.
