A judicial council has ordered the founder of Ark of the World, Father Antonios Papanikolaou, his wife and former board president, and an employee to stand trial over the charity’s financial management.
According to the indictment, they face charges including repeated felony breach of trust, embezzlement, complicity, instigation, and money laundering.
Judges found evidence that charity funds were used for work on property owned by Father Antonios, for an employee allegedly paid without providing services of equivalent value, and for other payments totaling about €200,000.
The indictment also alleges the misappropriation of roughly €100,000 in donations, another €100,000 spent on property transactions, and the concealment of valuables worth about €305,000.
