Report: EPL club owner accused of international scandal

In a court case riddled with accusations of match-fixing, vendettas and criminal activity, the allegations made in Evangelos Marinakis’s defamation trial represent some of the most explosive claims to emerge in European football circles. The backdrop is a fierce High Court battle in London as Irini Karipidis, president and CEO of Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, challenges Marinakis’ £5 million defamation lawsuit, claiming she and her family have been drawn into a web of fear and threats in in connection with the refusal. to meet Marinakis’ demands. As reported by Daniel Taylor from AthleteKaripidis says Marinakis’ influence extends far beyond football and into the realm of organized crime and intimidation.

Karipidis’ testimony portrays Marinakis as a man who “openly boasts” of his criminal activities, including smuggling sanctioned oil and fixing soccer matches. According to her, Marinakis’ quest for dominance was not limited to Nottingham Forest or Olympiacos, his Greek club, but also included attempts to fix Aris’ matches to favor Olympiacos. In one specific instance, she claimed that ahead of the 2022 match between Olympiacos and Aris, Marinakis allegedly “persistently urged Theodoros (her brother) to ‘fix’ the match in Olympiacos’ favor.” When Theodoros refused, insisting that “all matches will be played as normal”, Marinakis reportedly stormed into the team, threatening: “You won’t leave the pitch alive if you lose this match.”

Such accusations highlight the darker side of club management and raise deep questions about ethical boundaries in football. These claims, although denied by Marinakis, are a stark reminder of how much effort some people can go through in the pursuit of sporting success. In another incident, Karipidis alleged that Marinakis’ right-hand man, Vassilis Roubetis, made chilling threats to her brother, saying: “I will blow you sevens in the Porsche you have outside” – a reference to his registration number. This encounter allegedly caused Theodoros to flee to the safety of Aris’ dressing room.

Karipidis’ statement outlines a revenge that she says did not end on the pitch but permeated her family’s life. She claims an “organized campaign of intimidation” continually threatened her family’s safety. As she says, hooded men began to appear in front of her house, graffiti appeared on the walls, and her office was set on fire. The most disturbing incident involved a confrontation at a traffic light during which motorcyclists were reported to have pushed into her vehicle, threatening her and her child. “They knew everything about me,” she said, describing how she “fell with fear.”

The allegations signal an escalating dispute that goes far beyond the typical rivalry found in sports. They suggest a calculated attempt to weaken not only her brother, but also the entire Karipidis family. The case sheds light on a darker dynamic that may plague professional football, where personal vendettas and attempts to take advantage threaten to overshadow the spirit of the game.

While Karipidis describes his actions as a pursuit of truth, Marinakis paints a very different picture, characterizing Karipidis’s campaign as a carefully crafted smear operation designed to destroy his reputation. Marinakis maintains that her allegations are baseless and constitute personal vendetta. His legal team, led by David Sherborne, argues that if Karipidis’s mission was indeed to “deliver the truth”, then her methods, such as creating a “fictitious account of disgruntled Nottingham Forest fans” and hiring a van to drive around Nottingham on days matchdays – seem doubtful.

His response questions the honesty of her motives, suggesting that the campaign was less about truth than revenge. Marinakis vehemently denies these claims, saying they have caused him “tremendous distress” and tarnished his name around the world.

As the case unfolds, there is no denying the wider implications for football’s image and governance. This dispute highlights the extreme measures some are allegedly taking to ensure their club’s success or to undermine a rival. If these allegations prove true, they will reveal a disturbing underbelly of professional football that goes beyond competition and into the realm of organized crime and vendettas.

The legal outcome will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for both parties and potentially change public perceptions of football club ownership in Greece and beyond. Time will tell whether the court will strike out the case or whether we will see a full-blown trial that could reveal deeper problems in sports administration.

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For those following the game, the allegations swirling around Evangelos Marinakis and Irini Karipidis may seem more like a crime drama than a sports dispute. Many fans are undoubtedly disheartened by the sheer scale of the allegations, which is a reminder that fair play is not always practiced at the higher levels of football. When fans hear Karipidis’ claims about match-fixing and bribery in Greek football, it may reinforce their suspicions about the less than transparent aspects of the sport. After all, allegations of match-fixing are nothing new, but claims of overt threats and links to organized crime add a new, disturbing layer.

For the average fan, the thought that someone at the helm of a major club supposedly has such influence can be deeply disappointing. They may wonder whether Marinakis’ influence extends beyond Greece, especially given his ownership of Nottingham Forest. Such speculation has a ripple effect, breeding skepticism and a sense that football governance, even in beloved leagues such as the English Premier League, may be tainted.