Two women on trial on charges of defrauding Greek Cypriots with properties in the north changed their plea to guilty on Monday, and now await their sentencing at Limassol criminal court.

The two defendants, aged 44 and 53, had initially entered a not-guilty plea.

They were charged with securing money under false pretences, as well as money laundering.

According to some two dozen complainants, the defendants extracted from the large amounts of money by falsely claiming to have ties to the Immovable Property Commission in the north. The two women had offered their services to Greek Cypriots interested in selling their properties in the north.

The 44-year-old defendant had posed as a lawyer with connections in the north, while the 53-year-old claimed to have ties to a Greek Cypriot investor who purchased property in the north.

The first defendant would repeatedly ask for money for property valuations and other services – which the victims paid either in cash or via the Revolut app.

In all, the two defendants were alleged to have defrauded their victims to the tune of €300,000.

Following a plea bargain deal, the 44-year-old pleaded guilty to 12 counts on the charge of defrauding, and four counts on the charge of money laundering. The 53-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of defrauding.

The crimes were committed during 2023 to 2025.

Following the change in the defendants’ stance, prosecutors told the court that they’d stay the prosecutions on the counts for which the defendants did not admit guilt.