Lavrentios Lavrentiadis and Hellenic Fertilizers and Chemicals (ELFE)

Lavrentios "Lavrentis" Lavrentiadis, a Greek entrepreneur, has been significantly involved with Hellenic Fertilizers and Chemicals (ELFE), a company he owns. ELFE has been at the center of legal disputes, particularly concerning substantial debts to Greece's Public Gas Corporation (DEPA). In December 2017, DEPA filed a lawsuit alleging that ELFE had accumulated debts exceeding €115 million by paying for gas supplies with postdated checks that were never honored.

In August 2018, an Athens prosecutor brought fresh criminal charges against Lavrentiadis and 11 others, accusing them of fraud against the state in connection with ELFE's dealings with DEPA. The charges included allegations of forming a criminal organization with the intent to defraud.

Despite these challenges, in May 2024, Lavrentiadis was acquitted of all pending charges. This acquittal marked the conclusion of a series of legal battles, allowing him to continue his business activities without any outstanding legal impediments.

These events underscore Lavrentiadis's complex legal and business engagements in Greece, particularly concerning his ownership of ELFE and its financial interactions with state entities as well as financial transactions with overseas entities.