The high-profile trial surrounding Cyprus’ disgraced ‘golden passports’ scheme, which stems from an Al Jazeera investigation resumed this week as court proceedings continued against two former members of parliament implicated in the scandal.
On Tuesday, the court focused on the examination of electronic communications related to the case. Former House President Demetris Syllouris and ex-Akel MP Christakis Giovani stand accused of conspiracy to subvert the Republic and influencing a public official – serious charges under the country’s anti-corruption laws.
A police officer from the cybercrime division gave further testimony, led by state prosecutor Charis Karaolidou. The officer was instructed to search and present specific electronic correspondence found on the computer of Tony Kay, a real estate agent who appeared prominently in Al Jazeera’s 2020 documentary exposé.
The computer in question had already been submitted as evidence earlier in the proceedings. Eight emails sent by Kay were highlighted in court, addressed to various individuals connected to the case. These included his wife Denise Kay, lawyer Andreas Pittadjis (previously cleared of charges), Antonis Antoniou – operations manager at Giovani’s property firm – and Giovani himself.
The email subjects painted a picture of extensive coordination and international dealings, with titles such as “Visit to Hong Kong”, “Meeting in London”, “Due diligence for Nikolai”, and “Issues relating to Hong Kong”.
During cross-examination, defence lawyer Christos Triantafyllides asked the witness whether he had any direct contact with the individuals involved or with Cyprus’ investment programme. The officer confirmed he had not, but explained he had worked alongside “specialised personnel” to recover relevant digital storage devices as part of the investigation.
The Al Jazeera investigative report, ‘The Cyprus Papers Undercover’ that was broadcast in October 2020, revealed undercover journalists posing as representatives of a fictitious Chinese businessman with a criminal record seeking Cypriot citizenship. Footage showed Syllouris, Giovani, and others expressing willingness to assist in acquiring a passport despite the supposed criminal background.
The Al Jazeera report went on to win a bronze at the New York TV & Film Awards in 2021.
The fallout from the Al Jazeera exposé was swift. Both politicians resigned, and the Cypriot government terminated its citizenship-by-investment scheme in November 2020. The European Union later initiated legal action, criticising the programme for enabling the sale of EU passports to questionable individuals.
A former Supreme Court Judge, Myron Nikolatos, delivered a damning report on the scheme in 2021, which revealed that more than half of the 6,799 citizenships had been unlawfully granted while others had shortcomings.
To date, 304 individuals, including 88 investors and 216 family members, have lost or are losing their Cypriot citizenship due to fraud, false representation, or serious criminal charges.
