Former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides could in theory face perjury charges and land in jail should a former ally of his deliver on a promise to provide evidence showing that the ex-official lied in court about his links to a Facebook page.

The explosive allegations come from Andreas Hasapopoulos, a former longtime colleague of Michaelides at the Audit Office. Hasapopoulos himself retired in January 2018, having worked at the Audit Office for over two decades.

But relations between the two former allies have now soured, after Hasapopoulos was denied a request to run for MP on the ballot of the party Alma, founded by Michaelides earlier this year.

Apparently Hasapopoulos was left out because of his age – he is 72.

This seems to have turned him into an adversary of Michaelides.

Hasapopoulos used to run a Facebook page titled ‘Auditor-general support group’ – launched around the 2018 timeframe.

For years the page ran flattering posts about Michaelides, praising his character and work – while also excoriating Michaelides’ detractors.

Following complaints, Facebook eventually shut down the page for violating its terms of service – including the use of obscenities, usually targeted at public figures and politicians hostile to Michaelides.

The matter had come up during Michaelides’ trial before the supreme constitutional court, where the former auditor-general faced charges of conduct unbecoming. Following the guilty verdict, Michaelides was fired from his job.

During the trial, Michaelides testified under oath that he had nothing whatsoever to do with the Facebook page.

In court, he stated verbatim: “My answer is that I have no connection whatsoever to the [Facebook] page, nor could I decide what symbols or photographs were uploaded to it.”

And: “The fact that the page is not at all controlled by myself, and that I have no say in what it publishes, is proved not only by the fact that certain posts do not represent my views, but also in some cases they completely contradict my views.”

But according to Hasapopoulos – who ran the page – this is false.

And he says he can prove that Michaelides lied.

Hasapopoulos claims that Michaelides used to feed him material to post on the Facebook page. Often the content was fiercely critical of various politicians.

Allegedly, Michaelides would send him the material via WhatsApp.

Speaking to daily Politis, Hasapopoulos said he has handed his mobile phone over to experts so they can retrieve these messages from Michaelides, which he has since deleted.

And he promised to provide authorities with the evidence once he has it.

Assuming Hasapopoulos’ allegations come true, and authorities take an interest, Michaelides could be charged with perjury in court – a criminal offence punishable by up to seven years in jail.

Hitting back, Michaelides has directly sought to undermine his former colleague’s credibility. For instance, he mentioned how Hasapopoulos recently appeared on television stating that Michaelides had no links to the contentious Facebook page.

“Why he is now stating the exact opposite, only he knows,” Michaelides said.

The disgraced former auditor attributed the affair to a concerted smear campaign by his political enemies.

“I know that up until the elections [the 2026 parliamentary elections] they will do anything to wipe me out. They will not succeed.”

Meanwhile, in a video that has gone viral on social media, Hasapopoulos made another claim.

In the clip, he says that Michaelides had earlier confided in him that the Alma party would do well in the upcoming elections. The ostensible reason: because former Disy leader Averof Neophytou was on their side.

According to Hasapopoulos, Michaelides told him that Neophytou is spreading content on social media in a bid to undermine current Disy chief Annita Demetriou.

In a statement on X, Neophytou categorically denied the allegation.