The story that became Mafia State did not begin with a book. It began with a divorce, a bank collapse, a jewel, and a series of decisions by public officials that, according to the Independent Authority Against Corruption, may have amounted to criminal conduct. The timeline below traces the key moments from the earliest alleged acts to the publication of the IAAC's findings on 16 June 2026.
Early events
2007–2009, The Focus Maritime payments
The law firm Nikos Chr. Anastasiades & Associates acts as one of the largest introducer intermediaries for the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank, directing foreign clients to those institutions in exchange for commissions. During this period, Focus Maritime Corp, a company linked to the late Marfin-Laiki executive Andreas Vgenopoulos, channels payments to political parties and figures in Cyprus. In January 2008 a transfer of €500,000 is initiated from Focus Maritime to DISY's account, subsequently cancelled and replaced by a payment of €50,000 directly to DISY and €450,000 routed through intermediary companies. In June 2009 a further €100,000 is transferred from Focus Maritime, ultimately directed, according to witness testimony, on the instructions of Nikos Anastasiades.
2008, Naturalisation of Russian oligarchs
The law firm Nikos Chr. Anastasiades & Associates submits applications for the naturalisation of Russian oligarchs Leonid Lebedev and Alexander Abramov. During the process, Anastasiades, then a member of parliament and president of DISY, meets personally with the then Minister of the Interior regarding Abramov's file. Eighteen days after the rejection of Abramov's wife's application, the Council of Ministers modifies the applicable naturalisation policy, opening the path for her subsequent approval.
2010–2011, Laiki Bank payment
Inspectors find that in late 2011 a transaction of €250,000 is arranged between a senior Laiki Bank executive and Anastasiades, intended as financial support for his 2013 presidential campaign. The payment is processed through fictitious invoices categorised as introducer fees and routed to an offshore shell company in the British Virgin Islands. Laiki Bank CEO Efthymios Bouloutas signs or approves the invoices.
The Rybolovlev affair
2008–2013, Divorce proceedings begin
Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev and his wife Elena Rybolovleva enter divorce proceedings in Geneva. She seeks approximately half of their shared fortune, estimated at $9 billion. Rybolovlev holds substantial assets through trusts in Cyprus, administered by the law firm Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC.
October 2013, Court injunctions against Rybolovleva
Two originating applications — nos. 2092/2013 and 2125/2013 — are filed before the Nicosia District Court by trustee companies acting for Rybolovlev, represented by Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC. Both are placed before Judge Haris Solomonidis, then President of the Nicosia District Court. On 9 and 14 October 2013, Solomonidis issues ex parte interim injunctions preventing Rybolovleva and her lawyers from pursuing legal proceedings outside Cyprus.
1 November 2013, Wife of judge hired by law firm
Days after the injunctions are issued, the wife of Judge Solomonidis is employed by Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC on a high salary. She had been unemployed since February 2013. Inspectors later conclude this employment constituted the benefit offered in exchange for the favourable rulings.
3 September 2013, Dromolaxia meeting
A meeting takes place at which former President Anastasiades, two cabinet ministers, Deputy Attorney General Rikkos Erotokritou, member of parliament Giorgos Varnavas, and representatives of a private company discuss a disputed property in Dromolaxia registered as Turkish Cypriot vakf land. Inspectors later find that Varnavas organised the meeting to advance the private company's interests and that Anastasiades subsequently intervened with the Attorney General to promote the company's position.
February 2014, Arrest of Elena Rybolovleva
Elena Rybolovleva arrives in Cyprus on 24 February 2014 and is arrested on the basis of a police complaint filed by Panagiotis Neocleous, partner at Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC, on behalf of a trust, concerning a valuable piece of jewellery. Inspectors later find the complaint was part of a coordinated scheme to pressure her into accepting unfavourable divorce terms. Senior police officer Ioannis Sotiridis conceals the initial complaint from his superior and leaks real-time information to the complainant's side. Deputy Attorney General Erotokritou personally handles the file, bypasses the Attorney General, and intervenes in the content of the arrest warrant affidavit. Rybolovleva is subsequently released.
21 March 2014, Private flight for Anastasiades
Inspectors find that a private flight for then-President Anastasiades, originally planned from Brussels to Athens, is arranged through intermediary Andreas Hatzikyriacou and covered by Rybolovlev. The flight is rerouted to Larnaca following the death of a minister. No booking or payment record is found in Cypriot government accounts or Presidency records.
13 May 2014, Recusal application
Lawyers for Rybolovleva apply for the recusal of Judge Solomonidis on grounds of bias, citing his wife's employment at the law firm representing the other side. On 9 July 2014, Solomonidis rejects the application, stating in his ruling that his wife is employed by a trust company rather than the law firm itself. Inspectors later find this statement to be false and that both the judge and the law firm deliberately concealed the true employer during the recusal proceedings.
4 November 2014, Final rulings by Solomonidis
Solomonidis issues final rulings in favour of Rybolovlev's trustee companies in both originating applications. He subsequently retires. When Rybolovleva's lawyers file a disciplinary complaint with the Supreme Court in its capacity as Supreme Judicial Council, the council declines to act, noting that disciplinary proceedings cannot be brought against a retired judge and referring the matter to the Attorney General.
August 2014, Unlawful entry of Suzan Dikraz
Turkish national Suzan Dikraz, who claims ownership of the Dromolaxia property, enters the free areas of Cyprus on 4 August 2014 through the Green Line in an unlawful crossing. Inspectors find the crossing was facilitated on the instructions of then-President Anastasiades, without legal basis for such a directive.
The banking and financial investigations
2013, Cyprus financial crisis and collapse of Laiki Bank
Cyprus undergoes a severe financial crisis. Laiki Bank is wound down, with depositors suffering significant losses. The Focus Maritime payments, which originated from Laiki Bank funds, come under scrutiny in the context of political party financing.
2014, Focus Maritime police investigation
A police investigation into Focus Maritime and its payments to political parties and individuals is launched. Inspectors later find that Anastasiades contacts then Attorney General Kostas Clerides, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the progress of the inquiry and requesting that investigations be terminated on the grounds that no criminal offences had been identified. Erotokritou separately intervenes in the investigation, demanding original exhibits and instructing officers not to retain copies.
2019, OCCRP publication and MOKAS investigation
On 14 August 2019, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) publishes an article linking the law firm Nikos Chr. Anastasiades & Associates to the Troika Laundromat, alleging it facilitated money laundering by moving millions through shell companies. Anastasiades, then serving as president, publicly denies active involvement in the firm since 1997 and calls on the Financial Intelligence Unit MOKAS to investigate. MOKAS had already received a formal referral from an audit firm eight days earlier but had taken no action. It opens an investigation and on 20 December 2019 publishes a finding of no wrongdoing. Inspectors later conclude the investigation was deficient and the published clearance did not reflect the evidence collected.
October 2021, Pandora Papers
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists publishes the Pandora Papers. The law firm Nikos Chr. Anastasiades & Associates features as an intermediary for offshore companies, assisting Russian clients in concealing assets. The publication renews international scrutiny of the firm and its principals.
The book and the investigation
August 2022, Publication of Mafia State
Journalist Makarios Drousiotis publishes the 281-page book Mafia State, containing extensive allegations of corruption against numerous individuals, with particular focus on then-President Anastasiades. The book draws in part on text messages stored on the mobile phone of Tetiana Bersheda, lawyer to Rybolovlev, which had been extracted during proceedings in Monaco.
8 July 2022, IAAC members assume office
Members of the newly established Independent Authority Against Corruption assume their duties. The regulations governing the complaints examination procedure are enacted in December 2022.
November 2022, Requests for investigation
During the presidential election campaign, independent candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis writes to the IAAC requesting a proprio motu investigation into the contents of Mafia State. A meeting follows between the IAAC and Mavroyiannis and members of his campaign team. Then-President Anastasiades subsequently writes to the IAAC on 29 November 2022, also requesting a proprio motu investigation.
2023, IAAC opens proprio motu investigation
The IAAC formally opens a proprio motu investigation into the corruption-related allegations in Mafia State that fall within its jurisdiction. Four inspection officers are appointed: Australian international criminal law expert Gabrielle McIntyre as lead, and three Cypriot lawyers — Harilaos Chrysanthou, Orestis Nikitas, and Andreas Efthymiou.
February 2024, McIntyre arrives in Cyprus
Gabrielle McIntyre arrives in Cyprus for the first time to receive the terms of reference, following prior correspondence with the IAAC. The formal investigation begins. Witnesses are summoned, sworn testimony is taken, and international conventions including the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad are invoked to obtain evidence from abroad.
March 2025, Anastasiades publishes response book
During the course of the investigation, former President Anastasiades publishes a book titled O Sykofantis (The Slanderer), in which he seeks to rebut the arguments advanced by Drousiotis in Mafia State. The book is submitted and analysed before the inspection officers and referenced in their final report.
June 2024, European Court of Human Rights ruling
On 6 June 2024, the European Court of Human Rights issues its judgment in the case of Bersheda and Rybolovlev v. Monaco, finding that Monaco authorities violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights by conducting an extensive search of Bersheda's mobile phone beyond the scope for which it was surrendered. The ruling triggers a disagreement among the inspection officers: McIntyre holds that evidentiary weight can still be given to the SMS messages derived from the phone; the three Cypriot officers conclude that the messages cannot carry evidentiary value without independent corroborating evidence. The IAAC adopts the majority position.
2025–2026, Final report completed
The inspection officers complete their final report, running to nearly 3,000 pages exclusive of transcripts and exhibits. The IAAC reviews and partially adopts the report.
16 June 2026, IAAC publishes findings
The IAAC publishes its announcement following approval by the Transparency Commissioner to lift the confidentiality obligation. Fourteen individuals and entities are identified as facing potential criminal charges across offences including trading in influence, abuse of authority, bribery of a public official, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, money laundering, neglect of duty, and perjury. The full report, together with all evidentiary material, is referred to the Attorney General. A separate referral is made to the Tax Commissioner. No further statements will be issued by IAAC members on the investigation.
Source: Independent Authority Against Corruption, announcement on the results of the investigation into the book Mafia State, 16 June 2026.
