A licensed electrician from Larnaca has been sentenced to four years in prison for scamming a businessman out of €112,000 in a fake solar park deal.

The criminal court of Larnaca found the 39-year-old guilty of money laundering, fraud, and forgery. The court said he tricked the businessman into believing he would build two photovoltaic parks on land owned by the victim in the Larnaca district.

The scam began in 2021, when the two men met through mutual contacts. The electrician offered to take charge of building the parks and later showed the businessman a forged permit, which appeared to come from the electricity authority of Cyprus (EAC), to prove the project could go ahead.

Trusting the paperwork, the businessman began paying the defendant to supposedly cover costs linked to planning and construction. In total, he transferred €112,000.

However, the only visible work carried out was fencing off the plot of land. No further progress was made. When the businessman raised concerns, the 39-year-old came up with excuses to explain the delays.

Eventually, the businessman contacted the EAC and discovered that the permit shown to him was fake. He then reported the matter to the police.

The defendant was arrested and charged. In court, the businessman was the main prosecution witness. The judges found his testimony credible and detailed.

The court highlighted that the fraud was serious not only because of the amount stolen, but also due to the use of forged official documents. The fake EAC permit was key in convincing the businessman to invest.

During sentencing, the court said the defendant showed a clear plan to deceive for personal gain. Despite receiving the money, he never repaid any of it and made no effort to complete the project.