Former Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades faces multiple corruption allegations

Cyprus’s Independent Authority Against Corruption has named former President Nicos Anastasiades and 14 other individuals and entities in a major probe into alleged corruption, following a two-and-a-half-year investigation triggered by explosive claims in the 2022 book “Mafia State” by investigative journalist Makarios Drousiotis.

Cypriot journalist ignites major scandal with allegations of elite networks, corruption and pedophilia

The authority’s announcement on 16 June 2026 marks a significant moment for the small EU member state currently holding the EU presidency, which has faced repeated criticism over golden passport scandals, banking crises, and alleged links between politics, business, and oligarchs. If the findings confirm criminal offences, the cases will be referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution.

Key figures named

The list includes:

Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus from 2013 to 2023
His former law office (Nicos Chr. Anastasiades & Partners) and two of its lawyers
A sitting judge and former senior justice officials
A prominent Cypriot law firm and one of its partners
Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev
Former ministers, MPs, bankers, and police officers

Anastasiades faces the broadest scrutiny with seven counts, including trading in influence (three instances), abuse of authority, and related offences. His former law firm and partners are also implicated in trading in influence and money laundering allegations.

Background: the “Mafia State” allegations

The investigation stems from Drousiotis’s book, which alleges that during Anastasiades’s presidency, Cyprus operated like a “mafia state” where political power, legal services, and business interests – particularly involving wealthy Russians – blurred dangerously. Many claims centre on the handling of high-profile cases, including the divorce of Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev and alleged favours granted to influential figures. According to claims detailed in Drousiotis’s book, Cypriot authorities – including police, prosecutors, and figures close to the presidency – reportedly facilitated actions that favoured Rybolovlev, such as the 2014 arrest of his wife on disputed charges related to a diamond ring. In exchange, the oligarch is alleged to have provided private jet travel and other benefits to Anastasiades. These claims form part of the seven counts now being examined against the former president, highlighting how personal networks between politics and wealthy foreign interests allegedly blurred lines in the small EU member state.

Anti-Corruption Authority findings on the "Mafia State" investigation are expected today following a two-year probe.#Cyprus #AntiCorruption #Politics #NicosAnastasiades #MakariosDrousiotis #CurrentAffairs #sigmalive_english https://t.co/C9NUhgttYO
— SigmaLive English (@Sigmalive_EN) June 16, 2026

For an international audience, this matters because Cyprus is an EU member state that has served as a major financial and passport hub for wealthy non-EU nationals. Past scandals, including the 2013 banking crisis and the now-suspended golden passport programme, have already damaged the country’s reputation in Brussels and beyond.

What happens next?

The Anti-Corruption Authority has completed one of the most extensive probes in Cyprus’s history, involving hundreds of hearings and thousands of documents. Its role is investigative; final decisions on prosecution rest with the Attorney-General.

This development comes as Cyprus continues efforts to strengthen rule-of-law standards within the European Union. For non-Cypriots, it highlights ongoing challenges in a small member state where personal and political networks can sometimes influence institutions – issues the EU has monitored closely in recent years.

The original article by EUalive’s partner Politis can be found here.

Caption: File photo of 16 July 2015. Jean-Claude Juncker, the then President of the EC [C], went to Nicosia where he met with Nicos Anastasiades, the then President of Cyprus. On the right is Nikos Christodoulides, at that time a diplomat, who in 2023 was elected President of Cyprus [Europe by Satellite]