Greek former deputy minister found hanged at home, police treating death as a suicide

THESSALONIKI, Greece – Greek police say a former government official has been found hanged in his home in central Greece.

Leonidas Tzanis, 57, a former Socialist lawmaker and deputy interior minister from 1999 to 2001, was found dead by his wife late Thursday in the town of Volos, a police official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to the media, said Tzanis' death is being treated as a suicide but no suicide note has been found.

Tzanis was on a list of 36 politicians that a local website claimed were allegedly under investigation by Greece's financial police. An official with knowledge of the probe said Tzanis had been under investigation following an anonymous tip but no indication of wrongdoing has emerged.