Former Cyprus Volunteerism Commissioner Yiannakis Yiannaki has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for using forged documents during his 25-year career at the Cyprus Youth Board.
Judge Nicole Gregoriou imposed consecutive prison sentences of 18 months for two instances where Yiannaki used official forged documents, relating to a high school diploma and a university degree.
Case spans over three years from initial charges to sentencing
The saga concludes three years and four months after charges of forging and circulating fraudulent documents were filed against Yiannaki. In April, Yiannaki pleaded guilty to three charges relating to knowingly circulating forged documents.
Defendant worked at Youth Board for 25 years with fake credentials
Yiannaki began his career at the Youth Board in June 1996, was made volunteerism commissioner in 2013, and resigned in 2021 when the doctored documents scandal broke.
The case raised broader concerns about the vetting of public officials and the handling of falsified qualifications in government posts. His net salary as commissioner was €5,090 per month.
San Diego State University confirmed to police that Yiannaki had never graduated from the institution, despite his claimed civil engineering degree allegedly issued in 1992.
Court notes sustained economic benefit from fraudulent qualifications
Judge Gregoriou emphasised that this case was more serious than previous similar cases because the defendant obtained economic benefit over an extended period through the fraudulent credentials.
Prosecutors had originally filed eight charges but dropped five relating to actual document forgery, arguing it would not have affected sentencing. The court found it could not be proven that Yiannaki had forged the documents himself.