Tax official to face charges over missing 2.2 mln euros

A tax official is to appear before a magistrate on Monday to answer charges that he embezzled more than 2 million euros from a tax office in Athens.

Police said the official, identified as Nikos Andriopoulos, was arrested in the eastern suburb of Vyronas. An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect after he went missing from work earlier this month.

According to police, the tax collector admitted to embezzling 2.2 million euros but insisted that no other officials were involved and that the holders of the bank accounts into which some of the money was paid were not aware that it had been obtained illegally.

A policewoman was also suspended from duty on Thursday on suspicion of illegally appropriating the money and personal belongings of people whose deaths she was investigating. Officers said that in the case of two people who died suddenly in March, which the policewoman was called to investigate, bank deposit books showing savings of more than 200,000 euros, as well as items of jewelry were not recorded.