Thessaloniki court trial adjourned in fraudulent stem cell therapy case

The trial in the Thessaloniki Mixed Jury Court regarding a fraudulent medical scheme has been adjourned until November 27, 2026. The case involves a 69-year-old Greek physiotherapist and a 75-year-old German doctor accused of manslaughter and fraud.

Prosecutors allege that between 2007 and 2020, the defendants convinced patients suffering from multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions to abandon conventional pharmaceutical treatments in favor of purported breakthrough therapies involving stem cells and peptides. Investigations revealed that these treatments were actually injections of amino acids, water, and glucose, sold at exorbitant prices ranging from €10,000 to €25,000 per stem cell injection.

The scheme allegedly resulted in 18 victims, four of whom died after discontinuing their prescribed medical regimens. The total profits from the operation are estimated to exceed €1,000,000.

The adjournment was ordered for procedural reasons, specifically to allow for the translation of case files, including medical records and witness testimonies, into German for the 75-year-old defendant. Additionally, the court granted the physiotherapist's request for a court-appointed defense lawyer.