Greek ex minister found guilty of money laundering

Former Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos was found guilty of money laundering and receiving kickbacks from arms purchases by an Athens court on Monday. The Criminal Appeals Court issued the same verdicts to 16 of his 18 co-defendants, including his wife and daughter, in a trial which lasted for five months. The former strongman, who served as a minister in several Socialist cabinets from early 1980s to 2004, faces up to 20 years in prison. The sentences are to be announced on Tuesday. Earlier this year, Tsochatzopoulos was sentenced to eight years in jail for tax dodging. He dismissed all charges, saying his prosecution was politically motivated. He has been Greece's highest-profile former official charged with corruption since the start of a severe debt crisis three years ago. Several former officials have been arrested for embezzlement scandals and stood for trials in recent months.