Μake us preferred on Google Eleven people arrested in connection with an alleged corruption ring at the Katerini Planning Office are due to appear before an investigating judge on Thursday, November 5, following the filing of serious criminal charges against them.
The defendants include four employees of the municipal Urban Planning Department, among them its director, and seven private-sector engineers. The case file identifies a total of 75 people as allegedly involved in the operation, including the 11 arrested and 64 others. Police have identified at least 151 suspected criminal acts during their investigation.
The case centers on allegations that members of the group accepted payments and other benefits in exchange for facilitating planning procedures, including issuing building permits and legalizing unauthorized constructions.
Alleged bribes delivered in cash-filled folders
The investigation began after a complaint was filed in December 2025. A private engineer was allegedly demanding money to speed up the handling of a planning application.
A months-long investigation by the police Internal Affairs Service, which included the lifting of telephone confidentiality, uncovered what authorities describe as a system of fixed rates for illicit payments.
According to the findings, payments for the issuance of a building permit started at 150 euros, while the alleged price for legalizing unauthorized constructions ranged from 6,000 to 7,000 euros.
The money was allegedly handed over in person, concealed inside folders or planners, including within the planning office itself. In other cases, payments were sent through courier companies to relatives of those involved, in an apparent effort to avoid detection.
Investigators also documented alleged non-cash benefits. These included furniture, computers and other goods offered in exchange for favorable treatment. Telephone conversations reportedly featured coded expressions, while participants also used specific hand gestures to communicate.
Alleged illicit proceeds exceed 135,000 euros
According to an official announcement by the Ministry of Citizen Protection, the group is estimated to have generated more than 135,000 euros in illicit financial gains.
The defendants face a range of serious charges, depending on their alleged involvement, including bribery of a public official, corruption, participation in a criminal group, forgery, obtaining a false certificate through deception, issuing a false certificate and document falsification.
The director of the Katerini Planning Office has denied the accusations as set out in the indictment through his lawyer.
