Accused fraudster Bill Papas living the good life in Greece

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For eight months, Bill Papas has been silent. Accused of orchestrating one of the biggest frauds in Australian history — an alleged $500 million swindle of Westpac and the local branches of two global lenders, Sumitomo and Societe Generale — the colourful businessman and soccer identity has evaded banks, liquidators and even an arrest warrant.

He has not responded to media inquiries either. But on Sunday, in response to promotional material for a joint investigation by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes into the collapse of his business Forum Finance, Papas finally broke his silence.

“The reporting and opinions publicly advanced about Forum and other entities have been formulated without the benefit of a contradictor,” reads his statement, sent by defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles but attributed to Papas.

“This is because I have been deprived of the opportunity…