Bishop of Karpasia to cooperate with police over funds allegation
The bishop of Karpasia said on Tuesday he will fully cooperate with police as they investigate allegations that he misappropriated funds from a club he used to be president of.
In a statement issued through his attorneys, Bishop Christoforos said he was making himself “available” to authorities as they investigate events allegedly taking place in 2020.
The statement hinted that Church politics might be behind the allegations surfacing.
“The only thing for certain is that the timing of the complaint cannot be disconnected from the upcoming filling of the position of the Paphos bishopric,” it noted.
The loaded comment is understood to refer to planned elections for the currently vacant seat at the Paphos bishopric.
The seat was vacated in May this year, when then-Paphos Bishop Tychikos was stripped of his title. The Holy Synod voted to remove Tychikos for mismanagement.
Since then, the Archbishop has acted as caretaker for the Paphos bishopric.
Media reports suggested the sum allegedly appropriated by Bishop Christoforos comes to €110,000.
The complaint against Christoforos was filed by a woman on Monday.
She filed the complaint with Limassol CID.
According to the woman, Christoforos took the cash reserves from a private club – which he used to be president of – and transferred them into his personal bank accounts.
This happened over the 2020-2021 period.
The allegation is that Christoforos illegally amended the club’s charter in order to then be able to siphon its funds.
The club’s charter stated that in the event it was dissolved, its cash reserves would go to a specific bishopric. The bishopric never got the funds.
In 2019 Christoforos is said to have amended the charter, allowing the funds to be transferred to individuals or corporate entities in the event of dissolution.
Next, according to the complainant, the club’s funds were transferred to the accounts of two individuals, and from there to Christoforos’ own bank account.
The funds had been raised from donations to the club.
The complainant used to be a member of the club in question, and also worked as the clerk there for seven years.
She claims that Christoforos “abused” her trust in him.