Forest owner denies allegations of match-fixing as case proceeds in London
Nottingham Forest owner and Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis is embroiled in a £2.1m libel suit against Irini Karipidis, owner of the Greek football club Aris, over an alleged “smear campaign” which, Marinakis claims, involved “false” accusations of match-fixing and other criminal activities. Marinakis, a prominent figure in the shipping industry and owner of Olympiakos, accuses Karipidis of orchestrating defamatory claims via social media, online publications, and mobile billboards.
The allegations, which Marinakis denies, surfaced on a website, X, and a YouTube channel, with the court hearing that three articles were published in November 2023 on the site nottinghamforestfire.co.uk. Posts on X and videos on YouTube followed in December, with additional displays on mobile billboards outside Nottingham Forest’s City Ground during home games. The accounts and channels have since been removed.
David Sherborne, representing Marinakis, argued the allegations were “completely untrue” and urged the case to proceed in an English court due to its “real prospect of success.” In his written submission, Sherborne stated, “The allegations which Mr Marinakis complains of are completely untrue, and nothing in the defendants’ evidence comes anywhere close to substantiating them.” He added that the allegations were “highly defamatory,” including accusations of Marinakis being “leader of a criminal organisation” and engaging in “match-fixing practices, extortion, fraud, and arson,” as well as supposed involvement in international heroin trafficking.
Karipidis is not the only defendant in the case; Marinakis is also pursuing Amani Swiss (Cyprus) Limited, a company chaired by Karipidis, along with Israeli national Ari Harow and his company, Sheyaan Consulting Limited. Harow, a political consultant and former chief of staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is alleged to have played a role in the defamatory campaign.
In response, Matthew Hodson, representing Karipidis, told the court that the campaign had “limited publication” and was orchestrated by Harris Media, a US-based PR firm, which was paid $25,000 for the campaign but is not involved in the lawsuit. Hodson downplayed the campaign’s impact, stating that it “fared pathetically” and presented no evidence of “actual harm” to Marinakis’s reputation.
The feud between Marinakis and Karipidis reportedly stems from a heated incident during the 2022-23 football season. Hodson claimed that Marinakis approached Karipidis’s brother, Theodoros, to influence a critical game between Olympiakos and Aris in favour of his team. The attempt was allegedly refused, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw, ultimately contributing to Olympiakos missing a fourth consecutive title. Hodson alleged that Marinakis became “so angry” during the game that he reportedly threatened Theodoros Karipidis, saying, “You are finished” and “I will destroy you.”
Further allegations include a “campaign of intimidation and interference” by Marinakis against Karipidis and her family, resulting in what Karipidis claims is “very real criminal damage and arson.”
The libel case comes amid ongoing legal scrutiny for Marinakis, who has faced prior allegations of match-fixing in Greece but was acquitted in 2021. This lawsuit adds another layer to his multifaceted public life, which spans shipping, football, media ownership, and philanthropy. Marinakis’s influence extends beyond Greece, with his acquisition of Nottingham Forest in 2017 leading the club back to the Premier League in 2022 after a 23-year absence.
The court proceedings, overseen by Richard Spearman KC, continue as both sides present their evidence.
Photos: Instagram
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