Attorney-general clears Karpasia bishop over embezzlement allegations

Attorney-general George Savvides ruled on Tuesday that no criminal offence had been committed by Bishop Christoforou of Karpasia in relation to complaints over the management of funds belonging to the pancyprian parents’ union.

The allegations centred on events said to have taken place in 2020, claiming the bishop transferred money from the association’s treasury into personal accounts.

The case was investigated by Limassol CID before being submitted to the attorney general’s office, which, after assessing the evidence, concluded that no offence had been established.

Bishop Christoforou had previously said he would fully cooperate with authorities, stating through his lawyers that he was making himself “available” to investigators examining the claims.

Earlier allegations suggested that funds amounting to around €110,000 from a private club, where he had served as president, were transferred through third-party accounts before reaching his own.

A complainant had claimed that the bishop “abused” her trust and altered the club’s charter to allow such transfers, asserting that money raised through donations was diverted away from its intended destination.

The bishop had also indicated that the timing of the complaint was significant, saying it “cannot be disconnected from the upcoming filling of the position of the Paphos bishopric,” in an apparent reference to internal church dynamics.

Following the attorney-general’s ruling, no criminal proceedings will be pursued against Bishop Christoforou in relation to the parents’ union case.