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One of Cyprus’ most closely watched and controversial investigations has taken a dramatic turn, with police announcing Tuesday that they found no evidence to support the explosive allegations made in the so-called “Santi” case.
Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis said investigators concluded that messages and audio recordings circulated as evidence of alleged wrongdoing were fabricated, while claims of interference in state institutions, surveillance, and misconduct were found to be unsubstantiated.
“The content of the messages and audio recordings was false,” Arnaoutis told a press conference, presenting the findings of an investigation that involved assistance from both Europol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case gained national attention after journalist Makarios Drousiotis filed complaints based on allegations made by a woman known publicly as “Santi.” The claims touched on some of the most sensitive issues in Cyprus, including alleged surveillance, interference in public institutions, and matters involving the judiciary.
Messages ‘a product of imagination’
According to police, the woman at the center of the case admitted during questioning that the messages attributed to judges and other individuals were not genuine.
Investigators said she told them the messages were “a product of her imagination” and that she had created them herself using a mobile application capable of generating conversations that appear authentic, complete with message content and timestamps.
Police said she even demonstrated to investigators how the application worked.
Authorities concluded that no genuine communications were found between “Santi” and the judge she claimed to have been in contact with, nor with other individuals named in the allegations. Europol reached the same conclusion after examining the available evidence, police said.
Claims unravel under investigation
Investigators also challenged several other claims that had circulated publicly.
Police said there was no evidence that “Santi” had traveled with a judge on a trip she had described. A photograph presented as evidence was traced to another person who had no connection to the case.
A separate claim that she had traveled to Germany and stayed in a women's shelter was also disproven, according to investigators. Testimony and employment records showed she was working in Cyprus during the period in question, apart from a training trip to Greece.
Police further said a photograph showing an alleged hand injury was taken from social media and did not depict injuries she had actually suffered. A forensic examination found no such injuries.
Authorities also rejected claims that she had worked at the Presidential Palace, while assertions linking her to a Rosicrucian brotherhood were dismissed after the organization reportedly stated it had no connection to her.
One audio recording that had circulated publicly was likewise found to be misleading, police said. Investigators determined that the person being recorded was unaware of the recording and disputed the way it had been presented.
Focus shifts to possible criminal offenses
While police said no criminal wrongdoing was established against the individuals accused through the alleged messages and recordings, attention is now turning to those who may have created and distributed the material.
Arnaoutis said the Legal Service has instructed police to investigate possible offenses related to the fabrication and circulation of the material.
According to police, the offenses under examination include the dissemination of false information and the circulation of forged documents.
“The people who need to know, know,” Arnaoutis said when asked about those under investigation.
A case that gripped public attention
The “Santi” affair has dominated headlines and social media discussions for months, largely because of the seriousness of the allegations and the high-profile figures allegedly implicated.
The investigation attracted unusual attention after Cyprus sought assistance from Europol and the FBI to examine electronic evidence and determine whether any of the claims could be substantiated.
Police now say the evidence points in the opposite direction.
“The real facts are clear,” Arnaoutis said. “The allegations examined are refuted by the entirety of the evidence.”
The findings are likely to reignite debate over how unverified claims spread online and the damage they can cause to individuals, institutions, and public trust before they are fully investigated.
The investigation into those responsible for creating and distributing the material remains ongoing.
What is the "Santi" case?
The "Santi" case centers on a woman who became known publicly under the pseudonym "Santi" and who made a series of sensational allegations involving senior figures in Cyprus, including members of the judiciary and state institutions.
The allegations were amplified through material provided to journalist Makarios Drousiotis and included claims of:
- Secret communications with a judge and other influential individuals.
- Surveillance and phone tapping.
- Interference in the justice system and state institutions.
- Alleged efforts to cover up wrongdoing.
To support her claims, "Santi" presented screenshots of messages, audio recordings, photographs, and other materials that appeared to show communications between herself and various public figures.
Because the allegations touched on the judiciary, law enforcement, and government institutions, the case attracted widespread public attention and prompted a major police investigation. Cyprus authorities sought assistance from Europol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to examine the digital evidence.
