Journalist Makarios Drousiotis and a woman publicly known as “Sandy” are facing 101 counts after the attorney-general filed a criminal case against them, according to Greek broadcaster ERT News.

The case, due to be heard before the Nicosia criminal court, includes counts relating to the alleged preparation and circulation of forged documents, publication of false news and harassment, according to ERT News.

Both have already been served with the indictment.

The prosecution follows a police investigation launched after Drousiotis, then a parliamentary election candidate, published allegations in March claiming that a network involving members of the judiciary, politicians and business figures in Cyprus and Greece had been involved in corruption and other serious crimes.

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The material included allegations of the sexual abuse of a minor, blackmail, corruption and a cover-up, as well as claims of links to the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.

The allegations were based largely on material provided by the woman known as “Sandy”.

The case also attracted attention in Greece after newspaper Documento published messages allegedly involving Greek deputy minister to the prime minister Giorgos Mylonakis.

Mylonakis dismissed the messages as fabricated, filed a criminal complaint with the Greek supreme court prosecutor’s office against those responsible, and later announced legal action against Drousiotis.

According to police findings announced last month, investigators, assisted by Europol and an FBI specialist unit, found no witness testimony, forensic evidence or other objective material to substantiate the allegations.

Police also said the electronic messages central to the case had been fabricated using a mobile application. According to investigators, the woman known as “Sandy” admitted creating the messages and identified the application allegedly used to produce the fake conversations.

Technical examinations also found inconsistencies in operating systems, timestamps and the presentation of the messages.

Drousiotis has consistently rejected the police findings, arguing that the investigation was politically motivated and intended to undermine his role in the separate Mafia State affair.

Under Cyprus law, both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty before the court.