A usurer-extortionist was arrested yesterday in Larissa, against whom a case file was filed for extortion and usury by profession and as a follow-up, as well as for violation of the weapons legislation.

What did the sufferer report?

A complaint was filed by a local man, according to which, in the year 2020, due to financial difficulties he was facing with his business, he borrowed the sum of -5,000- euros from the perpetrator, agreeing, as monthly interest, a rate of 20% on the capital , i.e. -1,000- euros every month, until the amount is returned.

Then, in the following months, the victim paid him, in meetings between them, a total of -4,000- euros, as interest, being unable to return the aforementioned sum of money.

Subsequently, in the following period until the spring of 2021, the sufferer, with the aim of expanding his business activity, borrowed from the perpetrator, initially the sum of -15,000- euros and then -30,000- euros, with new loan sharks terms and in particular, with a monthly payment as an interest rate of 10% on the money he lent him, i.e. at the beginning -2,000- euros and then -5,000- euros every month.

The victim paid the perpetrator, in the following months, as interest, a total of -39,000- euros.

Then, according to the complaints, in the following period up to this year in May, due to the inability of the victim to pay the money demanded by the perpetrator as interest and as a sum of money due, the perpetrator, with repeated verbal threats against his physical integrity , forced the victim to the following acts:

• to purchase two vehicles, for use by the perpetrator and his friend, paying part of their monetary value,

• to insure the perpetrator’s wife in his business, without working there, by paying the insurance contributions,

• to pay various sums of money to the perpetrator in their meetings,

• to lease a total of -5- I.X.E. cars, which were used by the perpetrator and his friend, paying various sums of money, while in addition, he paid a sum of money, as a debt attributed to him by a company for damages caused to one of the rented cars.

The perpetrator obtained from the victim the total amount of -231,000- euros in cash, as well as the amount of -72,333- euros, derived from the provision of services, through the leasing of the above-mentioned I.X.E cars, etc.

How the moneylender extortionist was caught

After the victim’s complaint, he followed organized police operationin the context of which yesterday morning in a prearranged meeting, the perpetrator received from the victim the noted a monetary sum of -1,000- euros, as part of the interest that the victim managed to collect and was then immobilized by the police.

In his possession were found and confiscated:

• the pre-marked amount of -1,000- euros,
• the amount of -4,405- euros &
• -2- mobile phones,
in I.X.E. car, in which the perpetrator went to the meeting point, were found and confiscated:
• the sum of -17,000- euros, carefully hidden in the luggage area,
• -1- mobile phone &
• -1- paper bundle, without money and -2- collection receipts,
in his house and in its yard, after a legal search was carried out, the following were found and confiscated:
• -122- cartridges &
• -1- collapsible metal rod.

In addition, -2- I.X.E. cars.

The arrested person will be taken to the Criminal Prosecutor of Larisa, while the preliminary investigation is carried out by the Security Sub-Directorate of Larisa.