ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
By Helleniscope’s Editorial Team
The scandal surrounding the criminal organization in Crete continues to widen, and now former Defense Minister Panos Kammenos finds himself at the center of the storm. Wiretaps conducted by the Hellenic Police (EL.AS) revealed explosive conversations linking Kammenos to the mafia bosses of Chania, who were maneuvering to install their own candidate as Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas.
The Damning Conversation
According to the case file, the two brothers accused of leading the criminal ring sought Kammenos’ help in promoting their preferred archimandrite to the episcopal throne. In the recorded exchange, the mafia leader stressed that the decision ultimately depended on the Americans, to which Kammenos replied:
Kammenos: “On October 10, Kimberly [Guilfoyle] is coming here. We control the whole system; I am with her right now, she is next to me… If this depends on the Americans, I will take care of it.”
Leader: “It only depends on the Americans, because this is their area.”
Kammenos: “I’ll take care of it!”
The mention of Kimberly Guilfoyle – a prominent figure in Donald Trump’s circle – stunned observers. Kammenos appeared to boast that he “controls the Americans” and could influence ecclesiastical elections on behalf of the underworld.
Kammenos’ Response
Pressed by Greek media, Kammenos admitted that he did indeed speak with the individual in question, whom he knew from his early years in the New Democracy party. But he insisted that he ultimately did nothing:
“I never spoke to the archimandrite, I never helped him, I never picked up the phone again.”
Later, in a defiant social media post, he wrote:
“You won’t let me find peace… Fine, let’s go again. You are very afraid, and you think I will fear you. We are just getting started. I’ve got you.”
The Guilfoyle Denial
From Washington, it was reported that Guilfoyle and her team categorically denied any contact with Kammenos or involvement in Greek affairs. She has been extremely cautious in her public role, avoiding any political meetings before her nomination as U.S. Ambassador to Greece is confirmed by the Senate.
Guilfoyle limits her appearances to ceremonial events and occasional photo opportunities, while meeting only with select Greek-American supporters who are U.S. citizens. She has avoided discussions on internal Greek politics altogether.
No American Interest in Such Matters
It is worth stressing that the United States has no interest whatsoever in who becomes Metropolitan in Chania or anywhere else in Greece. American policy is focused on security, defense, and regional stability — not on local church appointments. The narrative that “the Americans decide” was entirely fabricated by the mafia bosses to intimidate local clergy, and by Kammenos himself to show off as if he were an agent of U.S. influence. In reality, his boasting was nothing more than self-promotion, aimed at impressing both his criminal contacts and his political rivals in Athens.
Timeline of Events
Spring–Summer 2025: EL.AS wiretaps record conversations between mafia bosses and political contacts, including Panos Kammenos.
September 2025 (early): Transcripts leak to the press, revealing Kammenos’ reference to Guilfoyle and his claim he could “fix it” with the Americans.
September 2025 (Sept. 3–4): Kammenos admits the conversation but downplays his role, saying he did not follow up.
September 2025 (Sept. 4): Guilfoyle’s camp issues a denial through U.S. sources; Ignatiou confirms no meetings or discussions ever took place.
Ongoing: The case remains part of a massive indictment against the Crete mafia, which faces charges including blackmail, bribery, and attempts to manipulate the Church of Crete.
Who Is Christos Marafatsos?
In the shadows of this scandal lurks another familiar name: Christos Marafatsos, a Greek-American businessman and political operative active in Washington, D.C. Marafatsos has cultivated ties both within the Republican Party and across the Greek diaspora. He has been visible in fundraising circles and has positioned himself as a “bridge” between Athens, the Greek-American community, and U.S. political power. In essence, he is trying to “sell access” to the Trump administration to the Mitsotakis government and a group of Greek elites who are already desperate, as almost all of them had no ties with Trump and his associates…
Sources suggest Marafatsos has acted as a connector and facilitator, introducing figures like Kimberly Guilfoyle to Greek circles and presenting himself as a go-between for business, church (read: Karloutsos), and political interests. His involvement in diaspora networks and proximity to the Trump orbit raise questions about how such connections might be leveraged in Greek domestic affairs — particularly when the Crete mafia scandal reveals attempts to invoke American influence as cover for criminal operations. It seems that in the end, Marafatsos may look to advance his own interests – both in the US and in Greece…
A Scandal With International Reach
What began as a local mafia case has now crossed into the realms of politics, diplomacy, and church affairs. The Crete mafia not only sought to control land, money, and influence, but also to weaponize the American presence at Souda Bay as leverage in their quest for power. By invoking names like Kimberly Guilfoyle, Panos Kammenos, and figures from the diaspora such as Christos Marafatsos, they sought legitimacy and protection.
Whether Kammenos’ words were empty boasting or something more, the damage is done: the Crete scandal has become a transatlantic embarrassment for both Athens and Constantinople. In our view, Panos Kammenos was already a very “low quality” candidate for Greek politics, and now he is finished. As for Marafatsos, let me state this: If I were Kimberly Guilfoyle, the first thing I would do before arriving in Athens would be to eliminate the presence of all self-serving individuals around me, especially those associated with Church figures such as Karloutsos or Elpidophoros. Instead, I would ask for the advice of retired, experienced diplomats or military people with deep knowledge of Greece. I underline “retired”…
September 4, 2025, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
The first time I ever heard “he is my man” was in Coppola’s Godfather trilogy. Same with that absurd back-and-forth—“How ya doin’? … Fine, fine … How ya doin’? … Fine, fine”—repeated like a broken record until it stopped being dialogue and became pure farce. I assumed it was all Hollywood embroidery, a director’s flourish to make the mob look exotic. Then I stumbled about the same rotten business in the Turkish press. Naturally, I sneered. If the Turks were writing about it, it had to be exaggeration, right? That was the punchline I didn’t see coming: the truth was worse—far filthier, far cheaper—than either Coppola’s fiction or Ankara’s gossip mill. What I had once dismissed as caricature was, in fact, understatement.
Marafatsos is an empty suit and a Michael Karloutsos wannabe. The Greeks, the “Greek Community”’ and the GOA are a pathetic bunch who will screw up the Ambassador-Nominee’s chance for confirmation. It’s an end-to-end clown show.
She is the only person in the Diplomatic Corps who has Trump, his sons, Rubio, and others on speed dial. The Greeks don’t deserve her, they deserve an illiterate pizza shop purveyor with cash for Athens’s bouzouki bands as US Ambassador to Greece
We need to just be Americans and we’ll be happier.
The Greeks deserve better. Are you blind? Wake up. America is owned. Greece is owned. Both countries are bankrupt. Take your blinders off.
I know some AHEPA guys who say the exact same things like you. I tend to agree! Why don’t you just be Americans and leave our Greek Orthodox churches alone?
Maybe because you are meeting secretely in our churches and you don’t have to pay a rent? Maybe because you use our churches as a recruiting place? Maybe because you steal money from the church cash box and you give these money to AHEPA children as scholarships?
Please do that, be only Americans if that makes you happy. You will make us who feel Greek happier too!
To Jane and nr: so are you Greek or American? I am an American (of proud Greek descent). As such, I want a self-governing church and I want Greece’s Foreign Ministry out of our affairs. We are NOT the Diaspora or Omogenia of Greece. But you want it both ways. How’s THAT worked out for you for the last 100 years?
You know the score, but you don’t know anything about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. It has nothing to do, no connection with the Greek Foreign Ministry. The boss of GOA is the Patriarch of Constantinople (currently Istanbul) who is a subject of the Turkish government!
If you are of Greek descent as you say, then you are a member of Greek diaspora or “omogeneia” and you should feel a little Greek. If you don’t feel Greek at all, then something may be wrong…
Malafatsos is the son of a construction thug: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/12/christos-marafatsos-trump-225729/ Kimberly is a spent whore. Basically the USA sees Greece as a spent whore. Clinton revived Andreas in order to bankrupt Greece, and Brzezinski created the 2008 riots before Obama was even inaurgurated to stop the pipelines initiated by the elder Karamanlis. Under Andreas the Greek debt:gdp tripled to 100% and his son Yoryaki raised it to 150%, under Stiglitz tutelage. Iakovos and Demetrios were removed for their proserb activity. The only use the USA has for Greece it to have them behave well to Turkey. Ask senior American military about Greece and all they do is complain about how Greeks treat Turkey.
Greece is the most beautiful country. I traveled there many times during the nineties. The customs, the people, the land and sea will always be in my heart.
Take your country back! My god! Take it back!
It apparently seems that US Ambassadorship to Greece is not a high priority for the US Government under
Trump Administration. These appointed positions, for pay backs in supporting any new president in the White House are conducive to delays that are counterproductive to professional foreign policy duties that undermine
Greek/American political relationships. Perhaps, the outgoing US Ambassador (Tsunis) Biden’s appointee, should stay in his position until the new Ambassador (KG) arrives to Athens Greece. The nine-month vacancy/gap in Athens Greece,
is not good inter- governmental business, in these challenging times, lacking critical international communication, due to an empty office in Athens Greece.
Tsunis has already left… He was worthless anyway…
It is not about Tsunis?? The point being made, is the long-term vacancy as an oversight, to transfer a new qualified US Ambassador to Greece. It was not meant to be an evaluation or comparison issue; it is a governmental service issue on the merits of official duties on the international stage.
If this is not a concern, then ignore the point, as not being relevant to the discussion. Of course, KG has much
better credentials, as the x/girlfriend of the president’s son, and x/wife of Gov of CA and many more XX’s in her
resume, and best of all, being blessed by Elpidophoros at the White House, a Turkish-born Archbishop- whose allegiance is to Turkey, no wonder Erdogan is grinning ear to ear due to the neglected chair in Athens!
I don’t think there has been in the past such a long vacancy in the US Embassy in Athens… This unusual delay raises suspicions for a possible attack on a Greek island or islands by Turkey, in which case we know in advance that the US won’t intervene and that will make any US ambassador’s life in Athens very difficult…
The delays on the final vote on her confirmation are due to the Democrap Senators’ “hold” process and also their objections to calendaring the vote on the Executive Calendar in the Senate.
Where is the “powerful” Greek lobby and all their worthless representatives and straphangers?