 In April 2011, he was among 25 people contacted by an investigating magistrate with a probe into alleged embezzlement of 51.4 million euros at the municipality.He was also accused by his successor Yiannis Boutaris of providing inaccurate financial figures.In February 2013, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzling of 17.9 million euro at the Municipality of Thessaloniki while he was mayor.