A father whose baby suffered violent seizures says a Greek children's charity raised 42,000 euros ($49,000) in his son's name and handed over nothing.
His account is one of a growing number of claims against the group, whose leaders are accused of stealing millions of euros in donations.
Panagiotis Theodoridis said the charity, Child's Happiness, approached him in 2020, when his 5-month-old son was having up to three seizures a day.
He said the charity's founder, Konstantinos Firinidis, ended the appeal after a month.
Mr. Theodoridis said he went along with the founder's plan to fake a transfer from an "anonymous donor" so the appeal would look like it had reached its goal, then never received the money.
"We didn't get a single euro," Mr. Theodoridis said. He said he kept pressing for the money until 2023, when Mr. Firinidis cut off contact.
Well-known Greeks have also come forward. Fitness entrepreneur Faye Zakakou said she gave 13,900 euros over two years after urgent messages such as: "Faye, please, the child will die."
TV presenter Katerina Kainourgiou said she shared the group's appeals and called the scheme "the worst form of fraud."
Another presenter, Mary Synatsaki, said the group had invited her to host a charity concert in August that never took place.
Police arrested Mr. Firinidis, 37, and five others last week. Investigators traced 92 fundraising drives and more than 5.8 million euros in bank credits.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said families should not need to raise money for treatment abroad, because the state covers it.