Why Nottingham Forest Owner Evangelos Marinakis is Always in the Headlines

Marinakis is a Greek tycoon, a shipping magnate, newspaper owner, and club owner. He regularly faces new accusations ofmatch-fixing, drug trafficking and other crimes.

You may have recently heard of Evangelos Marinakis.

On November 4, he lost an appeal and was banned for five football games in England after spitting on the floor in front of match officials. This act came after Nottingham Forest, a Premier League club which Marinakis owns, lost 1-0 to Fulham.

That same day, rumours circulated that, as well as his ownership of Olympiacos (Greece), Nottingham Forest (England), and Rio Ave (Portugal), he was interested in buying Vasco da Gama, one of Brazil’s most popular clubs.

On October 31, he announced he was suing Irini Karipidis, owner of Greek club Aris, for alleging Marinakis was involved in trafficking heroin, extortion, arson, and match-fixing. Karipidis had not been shy about these allegations, as they were reportedly posted on Nottingham Forest fan sites, posted them on X and YouTube, and even plastered them on a mobile billboard and had it driven around Nottingham on matchday.

On June 26, he was elected president of Greece’s Super League, the country’s top football division. Marinakis has owned Olympiacos, the most successful club in Greek history, since 2010.

But why is this important?

Because this series of controversies is hardly unusual for the PR-courting Marinakis.

Born into a family that loved the sea, he made his fortune as the founder and chairman of hugely successful shipping companies. In 2010, he bought Olympiacos after which they won seven Greek Super League titles in a row. From there, he dipped into politics, being elected in 2014 and 2019 as municipal councillor for Piraeus. This gives him sway over governance of the city which houses both his football club and much of his shipping interests as Piraeus is also Greece’s largest port.

This article delves into the key legal battles and controversies that have defined Marinakis’ public life, offering a detailed account of each case, its significance, and its resolution.

Evangelos Marinakis. Source: AP

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2024: Extortion, Arson and Heroin Allegations

In 2024, Marinakis launched a libel lawsuit in London’s High Court against Irini Karipidis, president of Aris Thessaloniki, and Ari Harow, former chief of staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He accused them of orchestrating an elaborate smear campaign designed to portray him as the leader of a criminal network known as The System.

The campaign, according to court filings, included a Nottingham Forest fan site, YouTube videos, and mobile billboards that circulated Nottingham during Forest matches. The materials accused Marinakis of heroin trafficking, match-fixing, extortion, arson, and secretly profiting from Russian oil despite public opposition to the Ukraine invasion.

Perhaps most audaciously, the campaign reportedly planned to fly a plane over City Ground displaying anti-Marinakis messages. Marinakis’ legal team traced payments to U.S.-based Harris Media, allegedly hired by Karipidis and Harow.

Marinakis’ Position: Marinakis claims the campaign caused severe reputational damage, financial losses, and personal distress. His lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction against further defamatory content.

Karipidis’ Counterclaim: Karipidis denies any wrongdoing, alleging that Marinakis retaliated against her family after her brother, Theodoros, refused to throw a match involving Aris against Olympiacos in 2023. She even stated Marinakis made a threat against Theodoros’ life at the time.

Outcome: The case is ongoing.