Court heard there was ring of collaborators that gave preferential treatment to businessman Sotiris Kritikos that was first uncovered in 2004, the Kathimerini newspaper said.

Ex-justice Constantina Bourboulia was sentenced to 12 years in prison for her role in the ring, while ex-judge Evangelos Kalousis was sentenced to 20 years and two months, the report said.

The convictions included taking bribes, money-laundering, abuse of power, breach of duty and attempted extortion.

Kalousis was arrested in February 2005 on suspicion of trying to cash a forged traveler's check at an Athens bank. Bourboulia was arrested in Paris in January 2006 after spending four months on the run, Kathimerini said.

Kritikos was also convicted on several charges, but his sentencing was suspended pending an appeal, Kathimerini said.