Does the Language used in the Published Articles of High in Circulation Newspapers in Greece Reflect the Embezzlement of Public Funds at the Institution for Social Insurance (IKA)

Yorgos Tahtsidis, M.A.Mini Project: Does the Language used in the Published Articles of

High in Circulation Newspapers in Greece Reflect theEmbezzlement of Public Funds at the Institution for Social

Insurance (IKA) Branch in Kallithea, Attica, Greece?For: Courses DAL 01 Quantitative Research Methods and DAL 02 Qualitative

Research; Prof. Philip Scholfield

Does the Language used in the Published Articles of High inCirculation Newspapers in Greece Reflect the Embezzlement ofPublic Funds at the Institution for Social Insurance (IKA)

Branch in Kallithea, Attica, Greece?

Abstract

This study examines and analyzes the newspaper coverage of a case involving the embezzlement of eleven million euro from the public healthauthority (IKA) by some employees of the IKA branch in the municipality of “Kallithea” a suburb of Athens, Greece. I examine whether the language that was used to describe this crime when it was uncovered in March 2012 as well as the punishment thereof in summer 2013 was too lenient for a crime in which a very large amount of public funds was embezzled. I examine newspaper articles as they have been published in some of the most widely read newspapers in Greece to show that, over theaforementioned time period, the language used to describe this crime didnot represent the severity of the crime. Additionally, using my experience in public matters – as a foreign correspondent and as a member of the central political committee in a newly founded political party – I claim that such publications, including the pictures/images used may not reflect the severity of this crime.

IntroductionIn his book “On Heroes and Hero Worship”, Thomas Carlyle quoted Edmund Burke and claimed that the latter called the public media – that is the printed news media – “the fourth estate”, saying that this fourth estatemay outweigh the power of the other three estates of that time; that is “the church, the nobility, and the townsmen”. In Greece, we have an adage that may be used to support Burke’s statement since it says that “A tongue [language] has no bones but it can crush bones”.1 Having these1 Η γλώσσα κόκκαλα δεν έχει και κόκκαλα τσακίζει





statements in mind, one may read any publication with some caution since, as any of the other – more traditional – estates of power, it canbe used to guide public sentiment and/or public opinion. In this paper, I analyze a case in which the language and images used in newspapers do not crush bones but certainly indicate the power of the press to shape public opinion.

Aim Using the reports written in four leading Greek newspapers, I examine the reportage of a case in which a large sum of public money was embezzled in order to discover whether the language used in reporting this crime corresponds to the severity of it; before and after the case has been brought tried at a Court of Law.

Method Used

Selection of Newspapers and ArticlesI chose the particular articles by inquiring on Google any articles written in Greek using the keywords “ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέα απάτη” and in English by using the translation of the same keywords; that is “IKA Kallithea fraud”. Out of the results appearing on google and based on the attachedresearch about the readership of Greek newspapers, I chose four articlespublished on or around the time when the case was uncovered and during or around the time the accused went to trial.

MaterialUsing the quantitative approach, I used the same list of words one wouldexpect to find in articles dealing with crime and criminals for all publications and counted how many of those words appeared in each article. My assumption was that these words would be used frequently in the examined publication and a lack thereof obviously might indicate leniency. I also commented on the images published in the articles.





ProcedureIn order to make it easier for the reader to follow the timeline of events I start analyzing the oldest publication first and move one to the newer publication, etc. Also, in each article, I count the number ofwords/expressions with a clearly negative connotation (crime, gang/gang members, theft, stealing, fraud/fraudsters, harm, jail, money stolen, etc.) and the number of words/expressions with a more subtle/neutal connotation (persons, officials, employees, case, scandal, embezzlement,money/luxury items gained, etc.) before I analyze them quantitatively aswell as qualitatively. I translated the words I used in both analyses.

Data analysisFirst, I will approach the articles quantitatively by simply

counting the expressions one would expect to find in articles reporting a criminal case of fraud. Then I will analyse the articles qualitativelyby taking a closer look at whether the language and the images used in each article negative, neutral, or positive connotations about the crimeat hand and the effect it may have on a reader2.

On March 08, 2012 the newspaper with the largest circulation in 2012, “Proto Thema” [First/Most Important /Main Issue] published a 147 word article entitled: “A great [case of] Fraud against the IKA Kallithea [committed by] its staff” (referred to as article One). The article reports a big scandal in which the Financial Police uncovered a case of forged prescriptions and arrested five high ranking officers of IKA. It is also reported that three luxurious cars and 960,000 euro werefound in the houses of the accused.

The frequency of the words used to describe the crime or the accused is as follows:

Word used [meaning in English] Number of times2 McQuail, Chapters Four, Eight, Eleven





usedαπάτη/απάτες [fraud/ frauds] 2υπεξαίρεση/υπεξαιρέσεις [embezzlement/ embezzlements]

0

Έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 2ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 0κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 0κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit/ring] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 2τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 0ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 2πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [luxury cars] 1ευρώ [euro] 1

The article reads as follows:

Σε συλλήψεις προχώρησε η Οικονομική Αστυνομία για το μεγάλο σκάνδαλο των πλαστών συνταγογραφήσεων και των εικονικών νοσηλειών στο ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας.ρησε η Οικονομική Αστυνομία...

Σε συλλήψεις [arrests] προχώρησε η Οικονομική Αστυνομία για τομεγάλο σκάνδαλο [big scandal rather than crime] των πλαστών συνταγογραφήσεων και των εικονικών νοσηλειών στο ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας.

Η απάτη [fraud] σε βάρος του ΙΚΑ από στελέχη του [from its staff rather than suspects or alleged fraudsters], είχε ως αποτέλεσμα ο οργανισμός να υποστεί ζημιά η οποία υπερβαίνει τα12 εκατομμύρια ευρώ [the organization suffered a damage that exceeds 12 million euro].





Από το ξημέρωμα της Πέμπτης έχουν οδηγηθεί [were led to ratherthan arresated] στο κτίριο της Γενικής Αστυνομική Διεύθυνσης Αττικής πέντε υψηλόβαθμα στελέχη του [five of its high rankingstaff (officers) rather than suspects or alleged fraudsters], καθώς βάσει πληροφοριών, στα σπίτια αλλά και σε τραπεζικούς λογαριασμούς των συγκεκριμένων στελεχών του Ταμείου έχουν βρεθεί μεγάλα χρηματικά ποσά [large monetary sums were found rather than large sums of the alleged loot].

Μέχρι στιγμής σύμφωνα με την αστυνομία έχουν κατασχεθεί [confiscated rather than repossessed or found] 3 πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [three luxury cars] καθώς και το ποσό των 960.000 ευρώ που βρέθηκαν σε κατοίκον έρευνα [960,000 euro which were found in an executed home search warrant].

Green the neutral/positive connotations of the language used

Red the negative connotations.

We see that, out of 12 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crime the criminals or the damage done to the public, 8 times (that is 66.66%)the connotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.

On March 11, 2012 the newspaper with the third largest circulation in 2012, “Kathimerini” [Weekday] Sunday Edition, published in its website a 185 word article, in English, entitled “Seventh suspect arrested over fraud at IKA fund” (referred to as article Two). This article reports briefly that one more member of the criminal gang that was uncovered at the IKA Kallithea Branch and how this gang embezzled “as much as 20 million euros”.






Word used [meaning in English] Number of timesused

fraud/ frauds 4embezzlement/ embezzlements 1crime/crimes 0scandal/ scandals 0suspect/ suspects 2accused 0circle/circuit/ring 0gang/gang member 1arrest 2punishment 0harm 0luxury cars 0euro 1

The article reads as follows:

Seventh suspect arrested over fraud at IKA fundAnother person who worked at the IKA insurance fund in Kallithea, southern Athens,has been arrested on suspicion of being part of an organized effort to defraud theorganization.

The 66-year-old woman, who is retired, was arrested on Saturday and charged with being part of a criminal gang, fraud, embezzlement and money laundering. She is the seventh person to be arrested in connection with the alleged scam.

Four IKA female employees and two of the women’s husbands faced an Athens prosecutor on Friday in connection with a benefit scam believed to have cost the institution as much as 20 million euros.

The suspects are accused of assigning benefits illegally to people not insured with the fund and taking a cut of that money themselves.





The bulk of the fraud was carried out at the branch of IKA in Kallithea, southern Athens, where the employees were based, and involved the use of forged documents, according to police.

A search of the house of one of the employees turned up a diaper box containing 960,000 euros in cash, officers said.



We see that, out of 21 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crimethe criminals or the damage done to the public, 16 times (that is 76.19%) the connotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.

On March 12, 2012, the second largest in circulation newspaper “To Vima” [The podium] published a 1049 words article with the title: “The insured [female gender] of IKA Kallithea were giving birth to… thousandsof twins” (referred to as article Three). In its subtitle the newspaper claims to publish the “court records about the scandal with the illegal transactions.” As becomes evident by looking at the picture of a luxurious swimming pool, which precedes the article, and by glancing over the subtitles of the paragraphs – Burning Testimonies, Non-ExistingPregnancies, How he/she made us take the money – this article describes in detail how “the circle” of IKA officers found, approached, and used insured people to embezzle at least eleven million euro from the public health insurance.



απάτη/απάτες [fraud/ frauds] 5υπεξαίρεση/υπεξαιρέσεις [embezzlement/ embezzlements]

0

Έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0





σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 2ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 0κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 0κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 0τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 2ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 2πισίνα/πισίνες [swimming pool] 2πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [luxury cars] 0ευρώ [euro] 9

The following is a 237 sample of the article bearing the subtitle: “Testimonies that burn”:

Καταθέσεις που καίνε [Testimonies that burn]

Καταλυτικές ήταν οι καταθέσεις που έδωσαν στις 26 Ιανουαρίου και στις 8 Φεβρουαρίου 2012 η κυρία Γαυγιωτάκη Μαρία, υπεύθυνη του Ολοκληρωμένου Πληροφοριακού Συστήματος του ΙΚΑ, που εντόπισε [located], ανέλυσε [analyzed] και ανέδειξε [discovered] την απάτη [fraud] στο γραφείο του Ιδρύματος Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης, στην Καλλιθέα [in the office of IKA Kallithea].

Πρώτο ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον σημείο της αναφοράς της είναι ο τρόπος ανάδειξης [The first, particularly interesting, point inher report is the way it was discovered] των παράνομων συναλλαγών [illegal transactions] αλλά και το γεγονός ότι παρόμοιες υφαρπαγές χρημάτων γίνονται και σε άλλα υποκαταστήματα.

Όπως λοιπόν μνημονεύει [as she mentions] για την «προδοσία των... διδύμων, [the betrayal of the twins]«όλα προέκυψαν [occurred] ύστερα από την εφαρμογή “Risk Analysis”, του νέου πληροφοριακού συστήματος του ΙΚΑ, [the application “Risk Analysis”, the new information system of





IKA] που άρχισε να λειτουργεί το Νοέμβριο του 2011 όπου φαίνονται ύποπτες και παραβατικές συναλλαγές και στο οποίο εντάχθηκαν στοιχεία από το 2008 και εντεύθεν. Κατά την παρουσίαση της εφαρμογής αυτής, με τα δεδομένα που είχαν εισαχθεί, αναπτύχθηκε ένα σχεδιάγραμμα στο οποίο φαίνονταν ύποπτες και πιθανόν παραβατικές συναλλαγές μεταξύ ασφαλισμένων του Ιδρύματος. Σαν παράδειγμα σαςαναφέρω ότι ενώ κάποιος εργαζόμενος, για ένα συγκεκριμένο χρονικό διάστημα, είχελάβει παροχές ασθενείας για το ίδιο χρονικό διάστημα φαίνονταν ότι εργάζεται κανονικά.

Σαν δεύτερο παράδειγμα σας αναφέρω ότι στο σύστημα φαίνονται αφύσικες στον αριθμό παροχές για δίδυμη κύηση. Πρώτο υποκατάστημα στις ύποπτες συναλλαγές ήταν το τοπικό υποκατάστημα ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας, που εδρεύει στην οδό Σκρα 45. Επιλέξαμε τυχαία έναν εργαζόμενο και διαπιστώσαμε ότι από τον Αύγουστο του 2005μέχρι και τον Απρίλιο του 2011 ενώ απασχολείτο κανονικά σε επιχείρηση, έπαιρνε σετακτικά χρονικά διαστήματα, ταυτόχρονα, και επιδόματα ασθένειας αλλά και μητρότητας».



We see that, out of 14 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crimethe criminals or the damage done to the public 11 times (that is 78.57%) the connotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.

On March 15, 2012, the fourth largest in circulation newspaper in 2012, “Το Έθνος” [The Nation], published an extensive – 7135 word – article entitled: “The Court Record About the gang of IKA Kallithea” (referred to as article Four). This article talks in great detail about the testimony of the public servant who discovered the fraud and the software that was used to help her. Also, reported in detail are some ofthe cases as well as the names and the relationship of the people involved and the IKA officers is published.








0

έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 0ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 0κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 0κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 0τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 0ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 2πισίνα/πισίνες [swimming pool] 2πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [luxury cars] 0ευρώ [euro] 38

The following is a 203 sample of the article:

Εκεί οι υπάλληλοι [public servants] ΜΠΟΥΡΑΖΑΝΗ Ελένη, ΘΩΜΑΚΟΥ Μυρσίνη και οι προϊστάμενοι [supervisors] ΦΕΡΡΑ Χρυσούλα και (...)χορηγούσαν τις παράνομες [illegal] παροχές [benefits], χωρίς να υπάρχουν τα κατάλληλα παραστατικά. Για παράδειγμα, εάν υποθέσουμε ότι η ΠΑΤΕΡΑΚΗ, με εξαπάτηση [fraud] είχε χορηγήσει ασφαλιστική ικανότητα [gave insurance] και ο ασφαλισμένος μετέβαινε στο τμήμα παροχών για να του εκδοθούν οι αποφάσεις έτσι ώστε εν συνεχεία να μεταβεί στο ταμείο για να εισπράξει [went on to the cashier to collect], έπρεπε κατά την παρουσίασή του στο τμήμα παροχών, να προσκομίζει τα απαραίτητα δικαιολογητικά, πράγμα το οποίο δεν





συνέβαινε. Έτσι καθίσταται αυτονόητη η συνεργασία [collaboration] της ΠΑΤΕΡΑΚΗ με τις προαναφερόμενες υπαλλήλους του τμήματος παροχών. Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις και οι ίδιες οι εργαζόμενες του τμήματος παροχών παρενέβαιναν στα αποτελέσματα ελέγχου του συστήματος. Στην ασφαλισμένη (...), συνταξιούχο δημοσίου [pensioned public employee], αδελφή της υπαλλήλου ΜΠΟΥΡΑΖΑΝΗ Ελένης, είχε χορηγηθεί ασφαλιστική ικανότητα την 7-12-2009, από το2000 επ' αόριστον, δηλαδή αναδρομικά χωρίς να τη δικαιούται.

Το ποσό που έχει εισπράξει [the amount she has received] από 30-11-2005 μέχρι και 23-11-2011 είναι 65.675 ευρώ. Άλλη περίπτωση, η (...) κόρη της παραπάνω και ανιψιά της ΜΠΟΥΡΑΖΑΝΗ, ενώ εμφανίζεταιεργαζόμενη από τον Απρίλιο του έτους 2006, της έχουν χορηγηθεί παροχές από 17 Φεβρουαρίου 2006 μέχρι 6 Οκτωβρίου του 2011, για πέντε τοκετούς, ενώ είναι άγαμη χωρίς παιδιά και το ποσό της ζημίας για το ΙΚΑ ανέρχεται στις 114.335 ευρώ.



We see that, out of 10 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crime the criminals or the damage done to the public 8 times(that is 80%) the connotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.

The above articles were published when the crime was uncovered and the suspects arrested. The following articles were published around the time the arrested suspects were to be tried in a Court of Justice.

On June 12 2013, the fourth largest in circulation newspaper in 2012, “Το Έθνος” [The Nation], published again a large – 1707 word – article entitled: “Justice Gets Lost in Details” with the subtitle “Released on bail the accused for fraud IKA Kallithea. The ‘18-month [law]’ also releases the detained IKA Kallithea gang"(referred to as article Five). This article talks in great detail about the testimony of





the public servant who discovered the fraud and the software that was used to help her. Also, reported in detail are some of the cases as wellas the names and the relationship of the people involved and the IKA officers is published.



fraud/ frauds 6embezzlement/ embezzlements 0crime/crimes 3scandal/ scandals 1suspect/ suspects 0accused 13circle/circuit/ring 4gang/gang member 1arrest 2punishment 1harm 0luxury cars 0euro 2

The following is a 264 word sample of the article:

Οι κατηγορούμενοι υπάλληλοι αναζητούσαν συγγενικά ή και φιλικά τους πρόσωπα [the accused public servants looked for relatives and friends] (ακόμα και ενοικιάστριά τους είχαν βάλει) για να γίνονται δικαιούχοι επιδομάτων από τα οποία εισέπρατταν τελικά οι ίδιοι τη μερίδα του λέοντος και οι φερόμενοι ως δικαιούχοι μικρότερα ποσά. [so they can become receivers of social benefits, the giant share of which – at the end – was received by the public servants themselves]





Η απάτη [fraud] έφερε τεράστια περιουσιακά στοιχεία στους κατηγορουμένους [brought gigantic property to the accused], όπως είχε αποκαλύψει το «Εθνος της Κυριακής». Στη Δροσιά της Εύβοιας ένα εντυπωσιακό κτίσμα με πέντε ορόφους, κάμερες, φωτισμούς με φωτοκύτταρο, πισίνα και εξωτερικό γυάλινο ασανσέρ και θέα στον Ευβοϊκό ανήκε σε μία εκ των κατηγορουμένων. Τα πλαστά έγγραφα και οι παροχές για τα μέλη του κυκλώματος μεταφράστηκαν σε πολυτελή ακίνητα [the forged documents and the benefits were translated into luxurious property for the members of the circuit (ring)] και σε άλλες περιπτώσεις. Αναλόγου ύφους εξοχικά διέθεταν άλλοι κατηγορούμενοι στον Βαρνάβα και στο Λαγονήσι, με εντυπωσιακές πισίνες, ντιζαϊνάτα κτίσματα και όλες τις ανέσεις που διαπίστωσε ο φακός του «Εθνους της Κυριακής». Οι περιγραφές της απάτης ξεπερνούν κάθε φαντασία [The descriptions of the fraud surpass ant=y fantasy]. Μέσω «μαϊμού» τοκετών και νοσηλειών το κύκλωμα έδινε σημαντικάκονδύλια σε δήθεν πολύτεκνους εργοδότες, για νοσηλεία βρέφους στην εντατική λίγες μέρες πριν από τη γέννησή του (!), ενώ συγγενής των υπαλλήλων δέχτηκε παράνομα επιδόματα για 5 τοκετούς, ενώ ήταν άγαμη χωρίς παιδιά [a relative of the public servants received illegal benefits for five pregnancies, while she was not married and had no children].

Στο εδώλιο [the stand (of court)] βρίσκονται οι τέως υπάλληλοι [former public employees] Ελένη Μπουραζάνη, Χριστίνα Πατεράκη, Χρυσούλα Φέρρα, Μυρσίνη Θωμάκου, Χριστίνα Σουρίδη και Κων. Καραΐσκος (σύζυγος της Μπουραζάνη) που είναι προφυλακισμένοι [imprisoned] και πρόκειται να αποφυλακιστούν [are about to be released] με τους περιοριστικούς όρους, ενώ ελεύθερη με περιοριστικούς όρους είχε αφεθεί μετά την απολογία της ηΠ. Νασοπούλου. Οι διώξεις που έχουν ασκηθεί αφορούν πολλά αδικήματα σε βαθμό κακουργήματος όπως απάτη, πλαστογραφία, νομιμοποίηση εσόδων από εγκληματική δραστηριότητα, σύσταση εγκληματικής οργάνωσης με επιδίωξη οικονομικού οφέλους κ.λπ. [fraud, forgery, money laundering, compositionof a criminal organization aiming at financial benefits, etc.] με τις





επιβαρυντικές περιστάσεις του νόμου 1608/50 περί καταχραστών του Δημοσίου.



We see that, out of 13 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crime the criminals or the damage done to the public 8 times (that is 61.53%) the connotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.

In the not as widely read weekday online edition, the newspaper Kathimerini publishes a 129 word article, on July 22 2013, entitled: [The] “Trial for 11-mln-euro embezzlement at IKA in Kallithea begins” (referred to as article Six). In the article details are given about thecharges the six public servants and the husbands of two of them have to face. It also indicates the high load of auditions this case will have since it reports the some 80 witnesses will be called during the trial at the Criminal Appeals court.



fraud/ frauds 0embezzlement/embezzlements 3crime/crimes 0scandal/ scandals 0suspect/ suspects 0accused 2circle/circuit 0gang 1arrest 0punishment 0harm 0luxury cars 0





euro 4

The following is the 138 word article:

Trial for 11-mln-euro embezzlement at IKA in Kallithea begins

The trial of six female Social Security Foundation (IKA) employees and two of their husbands, who are accused of running a scam that led to them embezzling 11 million euros from Greece’s main social insurance fund, began on Monday.

The six employees at IKA’s offices in Kallithea, southern Athens, were accused of assigning benefits illegally to people not insured with the fund and taking a cut of that money themselves between 2003 and 2012.

Three of the employees were fired on February 28 after a disciplinary hearing.

It is expected that about 80 witnesses will called during the trial at the Criminal Appeals Court.

IKA is suing the defendants for 16 million euros. They also face chargesof embezzlement, breach of duty, forgery, forming a criminal gang and money laundering.




On August 27, 2013, the newspaper with the largest circulation in 2012, “Proto Thema” [First/Most Important /Main Issue], published a 258 word article that reports one of the accused who was the husband of one of the main accused IKA employees, died of a stroke during the trial referred to as article Seven. The article also mentions that the person





had health problems but was due to be released, along with the other accused, because of the provisions given by the ’18 month law’.




0

Έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 2ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 1κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 4κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 0τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 0ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 0πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [ luxury cars] 0ευρώ [euro] 0


Το περιστατικό συνέβη ενώ το δικαστήριο διάβαζεέγγραφα για την υπόθεσηΤην τελευταία του πνοή μέσα στην αίθουσα του δικαστηρίου που δικάζει την μεγάλη υπόθεση με το σκάνδαλο διασπάθισης δημοσίου χρήματος στο ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας άφησε ο κατηγορούμενος, Παναγιώτης - Αλέξανδρος Αιματίδης, σύζυγος εκ των βασικών κατηγορουμένων στην υπόθεση, Χρυσούλας Φέρρα.

Το περιστατικό συνέβη ενώ το δικαστήριο διάβαζε έγγραφα για την υπόθεση.





Ο άτυχος άνδρας μεταφέρθηκε στο νοσοκομείο όπου διαπιστώθηκε ο θάνατός του από εγκεφαλικό.

Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι ο συγκεκριμένος κατηγορούμενος είχε βεβαρημένη υγεία αλλά επρόκειτο να αποφυλακιστεί τις επόμενες ημέρες [was about to be released within the nest days] λόγω παρέλευσης του 18μήνου -του ανωτάτου ορίου φυλάκισης.

Χορηγούσαν επιδόματα [they approved the payment of benefits] πενταπλών τοκετών καιμητρότητας σε άγαμες και χωρίς παιδιά γυναίκες, επιδόματα ασθενείας σε μη δικαιούχους, που εργάζονταν κανονικά, επιδόματα ασθενείας σε συνταξιούχους γήρατος-ακόμη και επιδόματα λουτροθεραπείας

Πρόκειται για τους υπαλλήλους του ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας, που αντιμετωπίζουν βαρύτατες κατηγορίες. Οι οκτώ κατηγορούμενοι αντιμετωπίζουν κατά περίπτωση τα αδικήματα της εγκληματικής οργάνωσης, της πλαστογραφίας, της νομιμοποίησης εσόδων από παράνομη εγκληματική δραστηριότητα (ξέπλυμα βρόμικου χρήματος) και της απάτης.

Η παραπομπή τους στο ακροατήριο αποφασίστηκε με βούλευμα του συμβουλίου Εφετών καιοι κατηγορίες που τους αποδίδονται αφορούν στην περίοδο 2003-2012.

Μετά τις απολογίες τους στον ανακριτή, η πλειονότητα των κατηγορουμένων είχε οδηγηθεί στη φυλακή, με τη σύμφωνη γνώμη ανακριτή και εισαγγελέα.

Ειδικότερα, ενώπιον του Τριμελούς Εφετείου Κακουργημάτων παραπέμφθηκαν οι: Ελένη Μπουραζάνη, Χριστίνα Πατεράκη, Χρυσούλα Φέρρα, Μυρσίνη Θωμάκου, Χριστίνα Σουρίδη, Κωνσταντίνος Καραίσκος σύζυγος της Ε. Μπουραζάνη, Παναγιώτης-Αλέξανδρος Αιματίδης σύζυγος της Χρυσούλας Φέρρα και Περσεφόνη Νασοπούλου.



We see that, out of 6 times, the vocabulary used to refer to the crime the criminals or the damage done to the public 3 times (that is 50%) theconnotation of the reference to the crime is neutral or positive.





On August 27, 2013, the second largest in circulation newspaper “To Vima” [The podium] published a published a 127 word article entitled: “An Accused for the Fraud in the IKA Kallithea died from a stroke duringthe trial” referred to as article Eight. The article reports that one ofthe accused to be part of the embezzlement gang, died of a stroke duringthe trial. The article closes by saying that he, along with the other accused, was expected to be released in a few days due to the ’18 month law’.




0

Έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 2ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 0κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 3κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 0τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 0ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 0πισίνα/πισίνες [swimming pool] 0πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [luxury cars] 0ευρώ [euro] 2


Πέθανε ένας κατηγορούμενος για την απάτη στο ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας

Υπέστη εγκεφαλικό κατά την διάρκεια της δίκης





Με τραγικό τρόπο έπεσε σήμερα, Τρίτη, η αυλαία στη δίκη για την απάτη στο ΙΚΑ Καλλιθέας.

Κατά τη διάρκεια της συνεδρίασης υπέστη εγκεφαλικό και πέθανε ένας από τους οκτώ κατηγορουμένους στην υπόθεση.

Πρόκειται για τον Παναγιώτη-Αλέξανδρο Αιματίδη, σύζυγο της επίσης κατηγορουμένης υπαλλήλου του ΙΚΑ Χρυσούλας Φέρρα ο οποίος την ώρα που στο βήμα του μάρτυρα βρισκόταν πραγματογνώμονας ο οποίος αναφερόταν στα έγγραφα της δικογραφίας.

Αμέσως ειδοποιήθηκε ασθενοφόρο με το οποίο μεταφέρθηκε ο κατηγορούμενος στο νοσοκομείο «Αλεξάνδρα». Δυστυχώς όμως εκεί οι γιατροί διαπίστωσαν πως ήταν ήδη νεκρός. Σε λίγες ημέρες μάλιστα, ο κατηγορούμενος αναμενόταν νʼ αποφυλακιστεί μαζί με τους υπόλοιπους έξι προφυλακισθέντεςσυγκατηγορουμένους του λόγω λήξης του 18μηνου




Discussion and Conclusion

Article

Negative Connotation

Neutral/Positive Connotation

% neutral/Positive

1 12 8 66.662 21 16 76.193 14 11 78.57





4 10 8 805 13 8 61.536 9 5 55.557 6 3 508 6 4 66.66

The above table clearly shows that the language used in the published articles of the four most widely read newspapers is neutral topositive in reporting a case involving the embezzlement of 12-20 millioneuro of public funds.

In the English online edition of the newspaper Kathimerini, the 178word report is about a fraud at the IKA fund in which “a benefit scam” cost the institution “up to 20 million euro”. Although the finding of 960,000 in cash in one of the suspects’ home is mentioned, it is interesting to note that this is the only report that puts the issue as a harm to the public rather than a gain for the arrested.

The attitude expressed in the newspaper “Proto Thema” becomes evident again when looking at the picture of a luxurious swimming pool, which precedes the article published on March 12, 2012 in the newspaper “To Vima”.

Simply by glancing over the subtitles of the paragraphs in the text – Burning Testimonies, Non-Existing Pregnancies, How he/she made us take the money – one can see that this article describes in detail how “the





circle” of IKA officers found, approached, and used insured people to embezzle at least eleven million euro from the public health insurance. Again the overall tone of the article emphasizes on how and how much the“IKA Officers” or “Circle” or – “Suspects” gained rather than how and how much the public, that is the tax payers and/or the readership of thenewspaper, lost.

Along the same lines is the article published in the newspaper “To Ethnos” with the difference being in the detailed description of the transactions that took place and the published pictures being not one but two:

What one inescapably notices in the above articles is that there is





an emphasis on the “loot” describing exactly as that… material or money gained… and not as a harm to the public or the readership, which will berepaid by the public/readership in form of additional taxes.

It is a fact that the language used in reports of ongoing, not yet tried, cases has to be delicate since the newspapers cannot and should not take over the role of the court of Justice and would have to face lawsuits regarding slander, false allegations, defamation in case the “accused” or “suspects” are reported to be guilty but are found innocentby a Court of Law. After the trial, one would expect to find harsher language since all the evidence will be known and all the verdicts will have fallen. Was this the case here?

In short the answer is “no”. The reason being that there is a law limiting the time of pre-trial custody to 18 months and due to the inability of the Greek trial system to complete the trial of this and other cases within these one and a half years.

So, in the Greek press there is a repetition of the way the fraud was conducted in Kallithea, the inability to complete the trial of the IKA employees, the death of one of the accused during one of the hearings, and more pictures of the wealth “gained” by the IKA Officers dominates the reports published in the summer 2013.

Out of the above mentioned newspapers, in June 2012, the newspaper ‘To Ethnos” is the first to speculate that the “Kallithea Gang” probablywill be released on September 9, 2013 because of the aforementioned law.The pictures that are published now have names. For Example:





This is the Villa of the accused Christina Souridi in the expensive areaof Drossia in Evia and

This is Villa of Eleni Bourazani in Barnabas, Attica.

Also interesting is the fact that, for the first time, a picture of two of the accused is published along with the captioning: N. Maziotis and P. Roupa were released and disappeared.

We have seen that, in this case, when the case was discovered, the language used did not refer to criminals and crime and the emphasis was on the amounts embezzled and the material goods acquired from these goods. One might speculate, as I have, that this may be due to the fact that before the accused have been sentenced by a Court of Law, the newspaper cannot call them anything but suspects or accused and may haveto face lawsuits if it does.

http://content-mcdn.ethnos.gr/filesystem/images/20130831/low/assets_LARGE_t_420_54242262.JPG





Word used [meaning in English] Article Sevenαπάτη/απάτες [fraud/ frauds] 1υπεξαίρεση/υπεξαιρέσεις [embezzlement/ embezzlements]

0

Έγκλημα/εγκλήματα [crime/crimes] 0σκάνδαλο/σκάνδαλα [scandal/ scandals] 2ύποπτος/ύποπτοι [suspect/ suspects] 1κατηγορούμενος/ κατηγορούμενοι [accused] 4κύκλος/κύκλωμα [circle/circuit] 0συμμορία [gang] 0σύλληψη/συλλήψεις [arrest] 0τιμωρία/τιμωρίες [punishment] 0ζημιά/ζημιές [harm] 0πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα [ luxury cars] 0ευρώ [euro] 0





References1. Thomas Carlyle “On Heroes and Hero Worship”, ChapterV, “The Fourth Estate", The French Revolution, London: Griffith Farrane Browne, pp. 146–148

2. Denis McQuail “McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory”, 4th edition, Sage Pulications, London, 1983,1987,1994, 2000.

3. Name of Publication: Marketing Week Online: Readership of Greek Newspapers

Source: http://www.marketingweek.gr/default.asp?pid=9&la=1&cID=3&arID=42235

4. Article One Name of Newspaper: “Πρώτο Θέμα [Proto Thema (First Issue)]

http://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/181965/megalh-apath-se-baros-toy-ika-kallitheas-apo-stelexh-toy/

Translated nameof the article: A great [case of] Fraud against the IKA Kallithea [committed by] its staff.

Name of Author: not mentioned

Date of Publication: 08 March, 2012

5. Article TwoName of Newspaper: “Καθημερινή” [Kathimerini (Weekday)] online edition

Name of the article: Seventh suspect arrested over fraud at IKA fund

http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/03/2012_432325Name of Author: not mentioned


http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/03/2012_432325



http://www.marketingweek.gr/default.asp?pid=9&la=1&cID=3&arID=42235

http://www.marketingweek.gr/default.asp?pid=9&la=1&cID=3&arID=42235





6. Article Three Name of Newspaper: “Το Βήμα [To Vima (The Podium)]

http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=448190

Translated nameof the article: The Insured Females at IKA Kallithea Gave Birth to...

Thousands of Twins

Name of Author: Vassilis G. Lambropoulos


7. Article Four Name of Newspaper: “Το Έθνος” [To Ethnos (The Nation)]

http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22768&subid=2&pubid=63880097

Translated name

of the article: The Court Record of the IKA-Kallithea-Gang Trial. http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?

catid=22768&subid=2&pubid=63630300#

Name of Author: Alexandros Avlonitis


8. Article FiveName of Newspaper: “Το Έθνος” [To Ethnos (The Nation)]


Translated nameof the article: JUSTICE GETS LOST IN... DELAYS

“Released on bail the accused for fraud IKA Kallithea.












The “18-month [law]” also release the detained IKA Kallithea gang"

Name of Author: Alexandros Avlonitis

Date of Publication: 12 June, 2013

9. Article SixName of Newspaper: “Καθημερινή” [Kathimerini (Weekday)] online edition


Name of the article: Trial for 11-mln-euro embezzlement at IKA in Kallithea begins


Date of Publication: 22 July, 2013

10.Article SevenName of Newspaper: “Πρώτο Θέμα [Proto Thema (First Issue)] http://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/305373/nekros-katigoroumenos-gia-to-skandalo-tou-ika-kallitheas/

Translated nameof the article: An Accused for the Fraud in the IKA Kallithea died from a stroke during the trial.

Name of Author: Vassiliki Kokkali

Date of Publication: 27 August, 2013

11.Article EightName of Newspaper: “Το Βήμα [To Vima (The Podium)]


Translated nameof the article: One of the Accused for the Fraud in the IKA Kallithea died.

He went through a stroke during the trial.


http://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/305373/nekros-katigoroumenos-gia-to-skandalo-tou-ika-kallitheas/

http://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/305373/nekros-katigoroumenos-gia-to-skandalo-tou-ika-kallitheas/







Date of Publication: 27 August, 2013

Documents

Does the Language used in the Published Articles of High in Circulation Newspapers in Greece Reflect the Embezzlement of Public Funds at the Institution for Social Insurance (IKA)