The Swiss banker Jean-Claude Oswald was detained after he testified in two separate bribery scandals in Greek courts on Wednesday. Mr. Oswald, who has so far denied all charges against him, has shown a willingness to cooperate with Greek authorities and as such may be summoned for further questioning.
At first, Mr. Oswald was questioned by judge Nikos Tsironis about his involvement in the armaments scandal, for which he accused of laundering money. The banker reportedly told judges that Fanis Lyginos, for whom there is an international warrant for his arrest, is the only person who has knowledge of all dealings in Greece.
Following his seven-hour deposition, Mr. Oswald was then questioned by judge Vasiliki Brati, who is examining the procurements of flying radars by Swedish firms Ericsson and Brazilian firm Embraer. In a short discussion with To Vima Mr. Oswald argued that he was a “scapegoat” caught up in a “political trap”.
The banker claims that he had an executive role and that Antonis Kantas was merely a bank client. The banker also denies that he or his partner Mr. Lyginos has a list of powerful clients. He also denied knowledge of the illicit origin of the funds which he handled.
