Former Commissioner for Volunteer Affairs to be sentenced in forgery case on September 11

Former Cyprus Commissioner for Volunteer Affairs, Yiannakis Yiannaki, will be sentenced on September 11 at the Nicosia District Court. In April, Yiannaki pleaded guilty to three counts related to the possession of forged documents and the knowing use of forgeries. His defense is requesting a more lenient sentence, citing that the crimes were committed nearly 30 years ago – in 1995–1996 – and that no further violations have been recorded since.

The lawyer stressed that the defendant admitted guilt, thereby saving the court’s time, and that five charges of direct document forgery had previously been dropped. Among the forged documents was also a high school diploma, which, according to the defense, was never used for employment or other official purposes.

Yiannaki faces up to 5 years in prison, since the case is being tried in a district court and not a criminal court, where the maximum penalty could have been 10 years. The investigation was triggered by an anonymous tip and an auditor’s review, after which Yiannaki resigned in 2021 amid wide publicity in the media and social networks.

According to police, confirmation of the forgery also came from the American university Yiannaki claimed to have graduated from: San Diego State University officially stated that he had never been a student there. The public discussion and publication of falsified documents sparked widespread reaction.

This case highlights the importance of verifying diplomas and ensuring transparent hiring procedures in public service. Residents of Cyprus are advised to keep this experience in mind when preparing and submitting any official documents.