The Greek Police have revealed the faces and actions of a seven-man spiral that cheated citizens telephonically, extracting large money.
The identity details, the photos and the criminal prosecution against -7- persons are made public, following a relevant order of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office, members of a criminal organization who were committing fraud via telephone calls by pretending to be accountants and removing sums of money from various areas of the territory, which was dismantled on 3-4-2026 by the Sub-Directorate for the Investigation and Detection of Crimes of Northeast Attica/D.D.E.E.E.A./G.A.D.A.
The following are the subject of this report:
- 1) ANAGNOSTOPOULOS Konstantinos – Evangelos of Konstantinos and Anastasia, born on 18-10-2003 in Thessaloniki,
- 2) HANTZIDI Ioannis of Nikolaos and Chrysoula, born on 8-12-1990 in Athens,
- 3) DANOS Chrysovalantis of Spyridon and Demeter, born 9-12-1988 in Athens,
- 4) PIKOPOULOS Panagiotis of Vasileiou and Olga, born 15-5-1992 in Heraklion, Crete,
- 5) DANOS Spyridon of George and Georgia, born on 24-3-1998 in Athens,
- 6) BECKOU Irini Irini, father unknown and of Friday, born on 6-10-1999 in Athens,
- 7) BATZALI Dionysios of George and Demeter, born on 4-7-1994 in Patras.
As it emerged from the investigation by the authorities, the members of the organization, at least since December 2025, had formed and joined a criminal network with a hierarchical structure and distinct roles.
As for their methodology of action, they were divided into two groups, namely telephone approach groups and “operational” field teams.
Members of the first group, which had a leading role, operated from a telephone centre they had set up in a settlement in Corinth, from where they guided and coordinated the “operational” field teams operating throughout the Greek territory.
In particular, the members of the call centre called unsuspecting citizens pretending to be accountants and citing an urgent need to submit a tax return, or an alleged subsidy, or a fine that they were supposed to pay, etc, persuaded them to hand over sums of money, jewellery and valuables, or to give them their bank account or card details.
Then the “operational” teams, guided by the call centre, went either to the victims’ homes or to an indicated point where they would receive the stolen goods.
It is noted that there were multiple “operational” teams that were in direct communication with the call centre, ready to act throughout the Greek territory at any time and at any moment, while they moved with constantly changing hired vehicles or vehicles of their relatives, in order to make it difficult to locate them.
For the same purpose, they also used a number of telephone connections belonging to straw men, while they used an internet application for communication between them, which demonstrates their organisation and professionalism.
From the preliminary investigation of the above Service, a total of 41 cases were detected, which took place in the areas of Peristeri, Ilion, Kallithea, Argyroupolis, Filothei, Agioi Anargyroi, Pefki, Heraklion, Aigaleo, and Keratsini, as well as in Katerini, Kozani, Kozani, Kavala, Naoussa, Drama, Veroia, Sithonia, Halkidiki, Paionia and in areas of Thessaloniki.
It is noted that the illegal property benefit gained is estimated to amount to 1,292,039 euros.
This disclosure, according to the relevant Prosecutor’s Order, aims to detect and prosecute crimes of a similar nature committed by the above defendants and their accomplices, against other victims, to prevent threats to public safety in connection with the above crimes and to protect society as a whole from such criminal acts.
In this context, citizens are requested to contact the telephone numbers 210-6875200 of the Sub-Directorate for the Prosecution and Investigation of Crimes of North-East Attica and 210-6411111 of the Directorate for the Prosecution and Investigation of Crimes of Attica, for the provision of any relevant information. It is noted that anonymity and confidentiality of communication is guaranteed.
