Greek investor Papalekas writes letter saying he's not guilty, confident Romanian prosecutors will reach same conclusion

Greek investor Ioannis Papalekas, one of the most powerful players on the local real-estate market, has sent a letter to the media on Monday, December 22, saying that he is confident that the prosecutor will quickly reach the conclusion that he is not guilty of any charge brought against him, according toMediafax. Papalekas was questioned by Romanian prosecutors last week in a case of embezzlement from two of the largest investment companies in Romania, SIF Muntenia and SIF Banat-Crisana. Judicial sources told Romanian media agency Mediafax last week that the Greek businessman had been formally indicted by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) for complicity to embezzlement in the SIFs file, in which Dragos Bilteanu, SIF Banat-Crisana's general manager, and Najib El Lakis, member of the company's general board, were arrested. Papalekas wanted to end the unrest of the company's investors, employees, directors, associates, suppliers and business partners. Globalworth Real Estate Investments, the main company he controls, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has a capitalization of EUR 376 million. "I am extremely proud that all the companies I've been associated to, including Globalworth, have always led business with the highest integrity and in compliance with the highest standards and internationally recognized business practices," added Papalekas. Diana Mesesan, diana@romania-insider.com