Novartis Trial: Former Protected Witnesses Called ‘Willing Puppets’

During the ongoing Novartis trial, Konstantinos Froutsos testified that the two former protected witnesses, Filistora Destampasidi and Maria Marangeli, were ‘willing puppets’ who made false statements involving political figures in bribery scandals related to the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Froutsos emphasized that there were no ‘black funds’ within the company and described claims of money transfers in suitcases to Maximou Avenue as mere ‘fabrications.’ He further stated that the false testimonies were part of a ‘novel written by a bad scriptwriter.’ According to Mr. Froutsos, these testimonies were likely coerced by higher-ups, and he himself faced significant pressure to falsely testify about payments from Novartis to specific political figures. The witness also revealed that he was pressured by an anti-corruption prosecutor to name specific individuals involved in alleged bribes, describing it as a clear attempt at coercion. Both defendants were characterized as having exploited their positions for personal gain, with one being dismissed following internal audits. The case has sparked broader questions about corruption allegations and the credibility of protected witness testimonies.