Nektario Zafiratos: Melbourne man accused of fraud and rape

A Victorian man will fight allegations he made “false or misleading representations” to multiple women and raped them.

Nektario Zafiratos, 51, was arrested in April and initially charged with 24 offences, however five were withdrawn by the prosecution at the start of a committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

According to charge sheets released by the court, he is accused of 10 counts of rape and four counts of sexual touching without consent.

Mr Zafiratos is also charged with five counts of procuring a sexual act by fraud.

Nine charges date back to 2021, while 10 allegedly occurred this year.

He has not yet entered pleas.

On Monday, one of the complainants, a 33-year-old woman, gave evidence about her alleged interactions with Mr Zafiratos during a closed court hearing.
The court was told the woman, who appeared remotely, would face questioning by defence barrister John Desmond.

Magistrate Stephen Ballek was told one of the complainants was overseas, with crown prosecutor Kathryn Hamill requesting she be allowed to give evidence when she returned to Australia in December.

This was opposed by Mr Desmond, so Mr Ballek said he would give the matter some thought.

“I’m prepared to stand that matter to the side, I don’t have to rule now,” he said.

The hearing will continue on Tuesday.

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