Nancy, her brother and other relatives
The dilemma for the shopkeepers was clear: Either they would pay to have immunity from inspections or they would be forced to go to court every so often.
Employees of the local government and state agencies, in cooperation with a family business (like an exemplary public-private partnership), had formed an extortion ring that mainly targeted restaurants in Athens. The 43-year-old leader had the code name “Nancy.” Co-protagonist in the gang was her brother, closely followed by their mother. Records of their phone conversations with their entire network demonstrate a mastered communication relationship, which used coded phrases and effective actions (“Did you scare him at all?”) to accumulate thousands of euros.
The criminal ring of Attica is one major story – the mafia of Mykonos is another. The two are parallel stories, although the latter includes the murder of a civil engineer and expanded illegal activities on the island, which have consolidated what, for a long time now, has been regarded as a “state within a state.” Organized crime is multifaceted, so it always remains active, lives and reigns under the nose of the official state. In fact, it operates with its assistance if one considers that one of the state’s pillars, the public sector, is a key “supplier.”
One thing is certain: The problem cannot be solved with pledges to “fight corruption” and show “zero tolerance.” For decades now, similar proclamations have been made without accompanying measures, allowing the problem to fester. Furthermore, crime – especially financial crime – has been quick to modernize, alongside the state’s structures. And it makes sense. A new generation of criminals who understand image and digital technology, act based on a different understanding of the state’s weaknesses and gaps, and are driven by cynicism, social inequalities, and a knowledge of sensitive personal data.
One-dimensional interpretations of this kind of crime do not help. The arrests and convictions contribute to a temporary lull, until the complacency of the competent bodies leads to another incident. Is a businessman protected by the law to the extent that he cannot be approached by extortionists and fraudsters? And assuming this is possible, does he want that, or does the desire for unchecked profit make him vulnerable? All possibilities are open and in public view. By examining the system, its weaknesses become visible, for better or worse.
