ATHENS — A Greek court on Tuesday ruled that Israeli mining billionaire Beny Steinmetz be extradited to Romania, according to Greek authorities and his lawyer.
The Athens Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Steinmetz’s extradition, while a warrant is expected to be issued against him in Greece. Steinmetz, however, is currently hospitalized, meaning he cannot be arrested. His lawyer said he has appealed the decision to the country’s Supreme Court.
“This development raises serious questions, as the decision of the Athens Court of Appeals contradicts its own ruling from 2022 on the exact same case and the same extradition request by the Romanian authorities. It is also worth noting that today’s decision is contrary to the prosecutor’s recommendation,” said Steinmetz’s lawyer, Stavros Togias, in a statement. He added that an appeal has already been filed with the Supreme Court.
The arrest warrant is the latest twist in a multi-year legal saga. Steinmetz was convicted in 2020 by Romania’s highest court of participating in a complex scheme to illegally take ownership of land that once belonged to the country’s exiled monarchy. He also had a European arrest warrant issued in his name.
Greece and Cyprus previously refused to extradite the Israeli mining magnate to Romania, citing the country’s inhumane prison conditions, while Interpol canceled its arrest warrant against him.
His co-defendants also successfully challenged Romanian extradition requests in other EU countries.
Last October, however, Steinmetz was detained at Athens international airport on the basis of the European arrest warrant after arriving on a private flight from Tel Aviv. He was released on €5,000 bail.
He has since been residing temporarily in Greece, and was banned from traveling pending the decision of the Athens court.
Steinmetz also faces legal troubles in Switzerland, where he was convicted in 2023 in a graft case involving the payment of bribes to Guinean officials to secure mining rights in the country. He received a three-year prison sentence but appealed the verdict.
A lower Swiss court threw out his appeal last November, after which Steinmetz approached the country’s highest court, according to AFP.
Greek court orders extradition of Israeli billionaire on Romanian corruption charges
Source: Viral Showbiz Pinay
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