Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has filed a defamation lawsuit against Crystal Palace, nearly a year after the London club’s supporters unveiled a banner depicting him holding a gun to the head of Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, according to reports on Monday.
Marinakis’ legal team lodged the claim at the High Court in London against both Crystal Palace and “persons unknown,” targeting the banner displayed during the two clubs’ 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park last August. Beyond the disturbing imagery, the banner carried a sarcastic message aimed directly at Marinakis’ reputation, reading: “Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption.” The Greek businessman has consistently and firmly denied any involvement in such activities.
The Football Association had already taken its own action over the incident, charging Crystal Palace in November 2025 with failing to prevent supporters from behaving in an improper, offensive, abusive, or provocative manner, a charge that resulted in a £50,000 fine for the club.
The August 24 fixture carried particular tension beyond the usual rivalry, coming shortly after Nottingham Forest had taken Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League following the south London club’s relegation to the Conference League as punishment for breaching UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership, a decision that clearly still resonated with Palace’s fanbase by the time the two teams met on the pitch.
Marinakis, a 59-year-old Greek shipping and media magnate, holds ownership stakes beyond Nottingham Forest as well, including Olympiacos in Greece and Rio Ave in Portugal.
He is married to Athanasia Marinakis and has four children. As of 2025, his net worth is estimated at $5.1 billion, ranking him among Greece’s wealthiest individuals and #788 on the global billionaires list. Despite facing various legal allegations related to football and shipping, he has been acquitted in all cases
Evangelos Marinakis is recognized as a Greek oligarch due to his extensive influence across shipping, media, sports, and politics, combining entrepreneurial success with high-profile public engagement
