Two men are in police custody and a third is being sought on suspicion of extorting €120,000 from a Nicosia woman over a five year period, at times threatening to release a tape of her they said they had in their possession.
The two Greek Cypriots were arrested on Monday after the woman reported the case to the police and were remanded in custody for eight days. A Greek national is also being sought in connection with the same case, but is believed to have already left the island.
According to the woman, her problems started five years ago. She said she was friendly with one of the two suspects. He and the other suspect under various pretexts started to extort money from her. At some point, they said they had a video of her that they would leak.
At a later stage they said that one of the two had cancer and needed money for tests and medical care, persuading her to give more money. In total, the victim said he had given them €120,000.
Police are examining a case of extortion, seeking to obtain property with threats and blackmail and money laundering among other.
The two suspects are expected to be questioned while the bank accounts of the woman and the two suspects will be opened to determine whether transactions match her version of the events.
