Andreas, member of the Athens Bar Association, specializes in criminal law and human rights law. Since 2012 he has been representing both individuals and legal entities, either as civil claimants or as defendants, in criminal cases of a wide range of offences, including fraud, extortion, forgery, breach of trust, money laundering, larceny, embezzlement, damage to alien property, mugging, violation of the confidentiality of documents, telephone communication and oral conversation, delicts relating to unlawful access to or interference with information systems, electronic data and computer data or programs, human trafficking, pimping, rape and violation of sexual dignity, drug trafficking, homicide by willful intention or by negligence, exposure to danger, all forms of bodily harm, insult, defamation and slander.Andreas also advises and represents clients on civil law cases relating mainly to family law (e.g. matters of maintenance of spouses and children, poor parenting and communication between parents and children) and succession law (e.g. matters of succession by intestacy or succession by testament, renunciation or acceptance of inheritance, forced succession and lawful share, legacies, donations mortis causa and litigation among co-heirs).
Pro bono legal representation to eight minors who were victims of abuse, coercion, and endangerment
As part of our firm’s commitment to ESG principles, the POTAMITISVEKRIS criminal law team provided pro bono legal representation before the First-Instance Criminal Court of Athens to eight minors who were victims of abuse, duress and endangerment. These minors were former residents of the renowned child protection foundation “Ark of the World” (“Kivotos”).
On November 14, 2024, after an extensive judicial process, five individuals—including the foundation’s prominent founder—were convicted on multiple charges. This outcome marks a pivotal judgment in the realm of child protection and the oversight of institutions tasked with caring for vulnerable minors.
Our team included Konstantinos Papadiamantis (Partner), Natalia Chrisagi (Senior Associate), Andreas Matsakas (Associate), and Evgenia Kordou (Associate).
This decision underscores the importance of safeguarding children’s rights and ensuring accountability within institutions designed to provide care and protection.
Rejection of a criminal complaint for fraud amounting to € 950.000
Konstantinos Papadiamantis and Andreas Matsakas, members of our White-Collar Crime Team, have been successfully representing numerous Members of the Boards of Directors of Damavand S.A. and Deca Investments A.E.D.O.E.E. as suspects, whom Damavand Trading L.T.D. has accused of fraud amounting to € 950.000 and relating to an option in favor of Diorama Investments Sicar S.A., a foreign company managed in Greece by Deca Investments A.E.D.O.E.E. The said option had been provided for in a private agreement between Damavand Trading L.T.D. (as seller of shares within Damavand S.A.) and Diorama Investments Sicar S.A. (as buyer of shares within Damavand S.A.), its activation had been defined to depend on whether the bankruptcy of Producta S.A. (an old company related to Damavand Trading L.T.D) would have been completed or not within 24 months of the conclusion of the above private agreement and its exercise ultimately led to the free acquisition of shares of Damavand Trading L.T.D. by Diorama Investments Sicar S.A. The criminal complaint for fraud lodged by Damavand Trading L.T.D. against the above suspects has been rejected by the competent Prosecutor of First Instance and Second Instance.
Acquittal for illegal copying, by computer, of the design of a subsequently registered trademark
Konstantinos Papadiamantis, Evgenia Kordou and Andreas Matsakas, members of our White-Collar Crime Team, successfully represented, achieving their acquittal, the founding members of a company, who had been accused of and at first instance (represented by another defense counsel) convicted of illegal copying, by computer, of the design of a subsequently registered trademark from the electronic file of the opposing company, which (design) was considered a professional secret, as well as of usurping a false certificate due to the submission of this design to the competent Trademark Service for its registration as a trademark.
Bank-mediated fraudulent internet transactions against Alpha Bank are brought before the criminal justice system.
Natalia Chrisagi and Andreas Matsakas, members of our White-Collar Crime Team, have been representing NEXI PAYMENTS GREECE S.A., in the capacity of the universal successor of Alpha Bank, as the civil claimant appearing in support of the charge within the context of criminal proceedings against four (4) companies accused of fraud at the expense of the said Bank, specifically in the form of bank-mediated fraudulent internet transactions, as well as accused of forgery and/or money laundering in the context of a criminal organization in some of these cases. One (1) of them has been referred to the Three-Member Felonies Appeals Court of Athens, pending the hearing before it, while the remaining three (3) of them are still at the pre-trial stage, pending before either a Prosecutor or an Inquiring Judge.
Second-instance conviction of the felonies of embezzlement and fraud on the courts committed against the Cooperative Bank of Dodecanese SYN.P.E
Andreas Matsakas, member of our White-Collar Crime Team, successfully represented the Cooperative Bank of Dodecanese SYN.P.E. – which is in special liquidation, conducted by PQH Single Liquidation S.A. – as the civil claimant appearing in support of the charge before the Three-Member Felonies Appeals Court of Dodecanese, operating as a criminal court of second instance, which convicted an employee and a prominent customer of the abovementioned Bank of the felony of embezzlement, as well as the said customer and his wife of the felony of fraud on the courts, thus issuing formal res judicata.
Admissions
Athens, 2012
Languages
Greek
English
French
Education
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands, Advanced LLM in European and International Human Rights Law, 2017
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Law, LLM in Penal Sciences – Substantive and Procedural Law, 2015
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Law, LLB, 2010
Award from the State Scholarships Foundation; Scholarship from the Latsis Foundation
Our firm is the exclusive contributor to the 2024 edition of the Chambers White-Collar Crime Global Practice Guide. The chapter on Greece was authored by our Civil & Criminal Litigation and Arbitration partner, Konstantinos Papadiamantis, with the support of Natalie Chrisagi (Senior Associate) and associates Andreas Matsakas and Evgenia Kordou. This chapter offers detailed, practical guidance on the enforcement of laws related to white-collar crime in Greece, along with insights into potential future developments.
The guide provides up-to-date legal information on topics such as corporate fraud and criminal company law, corporate and personal liability, white-collar enforcement authorities, bribery and influence peddling, insider trading and market abuse, tax fraud, cartels, cybercrime, money laundering, white-collar defences, and whistle-blowing.
Read the chapter for Greece here: