Achilleas Kallakis’ business activities were centred around “lies, forgery and deceit”, jurors were told at Southwark crown court today.
Kallakis and his business partner Alexander Williams are accused of more than £60m of fraud against Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Scotland. Both have pleaded not guilty to 23 counts.
At court today, prosecution lawyer Victor Temple QC accused Kallakis of putting together false documents to present to the banks.
He cited as an example a letter, purported to be from Credit Suisse and signed by its vice president Aidan Gillespie, which showed that Oregon Finance, a firm Kallakis was affiliated with, was known to the Swiss bank. Gillespie denied the signature was his.
However, Kallakis said he did not have an account with Credit Suisse and had not himself contacted the bank to get a reference.
“I can’t explain any of it,” he said.
Temple said: “It is all part and parcel of you and Williams putting together false documents to give the illusion to AIB that all is well.
“It is lies, forgery and deceit wherever you look.”
Kallakis responded: “I refute that entirely.”
Jurors also heard that Kallakis did not meet any of the Sun Hung Kai Properties directors purportedly providing guarantees for his transactions.
Kallakis claimed a broker, Richard Lee, acted as the middle man.
“We were constantly asking him [Lee] if we could meet with SHKP, but we were absolutely forbidden and discouraged from making contact,” he said.
The trial continues.
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
