The director of cardiac surgery at Athens’ Hippocrateion Hospital, Dimitris Lymberiadis, faces trial today on misdemeanor bribery charges after allegedly demanding a €3,000 cash bribe from a patient’s wife.
The complainant, Sofia, who alerted the Internal Affairs Division, said the surgeon told her: “I normally take €5,000, but for you, €3,000.” She delivered marked banknotes under police supervision, leading to his arrest.
In an emotional statement to Greek media, Sofia described her distress: “He broke me. I was anxious, ashamed, and terrified for my husband’s life. I kept thinking: ‘If I don’t pay, what will happen?’” She added that her husband, suffering from multiple health issues, had already drained the family’s finances.
Police sources revealed that two to three more people contacted authorities after the arrest, citing similar experiences. Lymberiadis had previously been convicted with a suspended sentence for a similar offence. The case has reignited calls for transparency and a crackdown on corruption within Greece’s healthcare system.
