THESSALONIKI – A first-instance court prosecutor on Thursday pressed criminal charges against television presenter Stathis Panagiotopoulos for posting sexually explicit images of former partners on pornographic sites without their consent. He is to appear before an examining magistrate.

The charges against him concern repeated criminal-degree counts of releasing private information concerning the sexual life of individuals with intent to harm others.

He is expected to seek a date to prepare his statement to a Thessaloniki examining magistrate and will remain in custody until that time.

Panagiotopoulos was earlier taken to the Thessaloniki Court Building in handcuffs, after spending the night in a police jail. The 58-year-old presenter had voluntarily presented himself to the police on Wednesday after former sexual partners accused him of making images of their private moments public on pornographic websites, while a similar report in the last 24 hours led to a decision for his arrest.

One former girlfriend sued him on for posting a video with erotic content on several online porn sites and then another quickly accused him of the same after he was fired from his long-running TV gig on ANT1 TV.

His co-hosts of 14 years have also accused him of “material and moral damage” to the show and moved to rapidly distance themselves from him as more details came out.

Lawyer Apostolos Lytras, who represents one of Panagiotopoulos’ accusers, told media that seven more erotic videos of seven other former girlfriends are online and urged the victims to come forward.

Following his arrest, police were expected to search his residences, his primary home in Thessaloniki and a holiday home on the island of Alonnisos, looking for evidence.

If he profited more than 120,000 euros he current misdemeanor charge of violating personal data would be upgraded to a felony as the New Democracy government is said to be considering upgrading penalties for the crime.