ATHENS – Viki Stamati, the wife of disgraced former socialist minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, has been released from prison again after being ordered to return to finish a sentence for her role in the theft of scores of millions of euros by her husband from defense contracts.

Tsochatzopoulos was ordered by a court to return as well after being released earlier this year on health grounds, a common reason cited by Greek officials in prison who want an early release. He and his wife were later spotted eating spaghetti lobster at 60 euros ($69.86) a plate after crying poverty.

Their assets were ordered to be seized apart from a couple of houses and other personal goods after Stamati said as a mother she needed a good place to live. She too had been released previously on those grounds and for being ill as well, serving much of her term in a psychiatric hospital although there was no report she has been to one since getting out.

Stamati had received an eight-year sentence from a five-member appeals panel but was released in accordance with Greek law – as she had spent most of her term in prison following her initial conviction in 2013 for money laundering.
The time she spent at the Dromokaiteio mental health facility since November 2013 counted as double.