Limassol’s Assize Court on Tuesday set November 11 as the date the trial of three suspects in the case of an alleged homeless scam in the coastal town begins. All three have pleaded not guilty.
They are 46-year-old president of EnErgo movement, a non-registered NGO which ampaigns for the homeless, the 57 year old owner and manager of a hotel allegedly used in the scam and a 66 year old hotel employee.
The scam aimed to defraud social security funds earmarked for the homeless and the offences had been committed between August 2018 and October 2019.
They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit an offence, obtaining funds under false pretences and fraud. They are free on bail and other restrictive terms.
The three defendants were arrested on October 13, 2019 and released on October 25, 2019. Â After the case was reviewed, and at and instructions of the Legal Service, the case went to court on January 2, 2020.
Police has said there were at least nine cases of homeless individuals who had left the hotel but the state continued to pay for their room and board.
They believe thousands of euros may have been siphoned off in this way.
