Business
Greece: “Horiatiko” bakeries and “Pizza Fan” pizzerias under investigation for tax evasion, losses put at 100 million and 25 million euros
According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, more than 50 people have been arrested in the bakery case, while the pizza chain disputes allegations of unpaid VAT.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 25, 2026, 21:20 · Updated 18:40 · 1 min read
In brief
- Greek police arrested the owner of the “Horiatiko” bakeries and an accountant suspected of organizing the scheme.
- Damage in the bakery case is estimated at about 100 million euros, and in the “Pizza Fan” case at least 25 million euros in VAT.
- “Pizza Fan” denies the allegations; more than 2,500 of the chain’s employees face uncertainty.
Two well-known food chains in Greece are at the center of tax evasion investigations, according to a Top Channel report on Sunday citing Greek public broadcaster ERT and Greek agencies.
The bakery scheme
In the first case, Greek police arrested the owner of the “Horiatiko” bakeries and an accountant suspected of organizing the scheme. According to investigators, the businesses were run on paper by figurehead administrators: the companies sold goods and piled up tax and social insurance debts, while the activity continued through new companies. The debts stayed with the people registered in the documents.
According to ERT, more than 50 people have been arrested and checks cover hundreds of businesses. Preliminary estimates put the damage and unpaid obligations at about 100 million euros, including social insurance and other businesses linked to the owner.
Orders that “disappeared”
In the second case, according to investigators, some cash orders at the “Pizza Fan” pizza chain were not recorded as sales: a computer program marked them as “rentals,” as if the pizza had been given away free. As a result, the VAT included in the price was not paid to the state. Unpaid VAT is initially estimated at at least 25 million euros.
The company disputes this account and says its many free-product offers may have caused confusion in calculating turnover, adding that it will cooperate with the judiciary. The interruption of service has created uncertainty for more than 2,500 employees. The investigations are continuing and authorities have not yet determined the final loss to the state.
