Fraud, Theft and Forgery in Cyprus

Fraud, theft and forgery charges in Cyprus are brought under the Criminal Code (Ποινικός Κώδικας, Cap. 154), which uses English legal terms: theft (κλοπή); obtaining money or goods by false pretences (ψευδείς παραστάσεις), the usual charge for what people call fraud; forgery (πλαστογραφία); and uttering, which means using a forged document. Conspiracy and money laundering charges are often added. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Fraud, Theft, Forgery etc”. This page is for the person accused and is general information, not legal advice.

Who needs this

Shoppers or hotel guests accused of taking goods, employees and directors accused of misusing company money, people involved in online sales or investment schemes that went wrong, holders of a forged or borrowed passport, licence or certificate, and people named in a car theft investigation.

Three kinds of charge

• Theft ranges from shoplifting to theft by an employee or of a vehicle; the value and the circumstances shape the charge and the court.
• Fraud covers false pretences, false accounts and schemes involving several people; these cases often rest on bank records, emails and company documents, and assets may be frozen during the investigation.
• Forgery covers making a false document and using one, for example to rent property, open an account, work or obtain residence; a forged travel document also brings immigration consequences.

How a case runs

After arrest the police may ask a judge for a remand order or release the suspect on terms, such as handing in a passport, and the name may be put on the stop list. Lesser cases are tried in the District Court and serious ones in the Assize Court, by judges without a jury.

What to pay attention to

Explanations given to an employer, a bank or the police before a lawyer is involved are often used as evidence. Contacting witnesses or the person who lost money can breach bail terms. Documents kept abroad may need to be obtained and translated early.

What an English-speaking lawyer does

The lawyer attends the interview, deals with remand and bail terms, obtains the documents and financial records, works with accountants or document experts where needed, explores repayment where it is relevant, and represents the accused at trial. A person who lost money to a fraud or a theft finds information under legal representation for crime victims; a disagreement about money owed under a contract, rather than a crime, is covered under contract disputes. A request from another country to hand someone over is explained under extradition proceedings. More on criminal law in Cyprus.

Questions and answers

If the money is paid back, will the case be dropped?

Not automatically. Repayment can matter to the person who lost money and to the court, but the decision to prosecute rests with the police and the Attorney General's office.

Is fraud a single offence in Cyprus?

No. The Criminal Code has several offences that people call fraud, most often obtaining by false pretences. The exact charge matters, because each one has its own elements to prove.

My bank account was frozen. What can be done?

Freezing measures can be challenged or varied by the court, for example to cover living costs. A lawyer examines the order and the grounds given for it.