Eftis Paraskevaides, 50, a Greek Cypriot who lives in Godmanchester, was suspended from the hospital after fears were expressed about his work.

He has since become a top eBay trader - earning some £1.4million a year from the site - but now allegations have linked him “shill bidding”, bidding to raise the price of goods on sale artificially.

The practice was highlighted in a Sunday newspaper article.

Mr Paraskevaides issued a press statement yesterday (Tuesday) saying: “I do not shill bid. My statements, which have been quoted by The Sunday Times, need to be seen in the context of a dealer and apparent collector.

“I am a salesman and was trying to convince a collector that his items were safe in my hands. I would not have resorted to shill bidding and this was made quite clear at the time, although never reported. I await the result of eBay’s investigation, which I expect will find that I have not been guilty of any wrongdoing.”

Until his site was suspended Mr Paraskevaides sold antiquities.

The Sunday Times claimed Mr Paraskevaides described to a undercover reporter how shill bidding worked and said many sellers used the tactic.

Posted: 01|31|07 at 2:58 pm. Filed under: UK News.