Loriann Vergos, who worked at the Saint Demetrios School as admissions director for a little over two years (2019-21, was hired by A.Koularmanis who had also filed a lawsuit against the parish – it ended in a settlement that cost St.Demetrios tens of thousands of dollars!!) accuses the parish of several labor violations of monetary nature. Both Koularmanis and Vergos serve in the parish council at the Transfiguration Church of Corona, Queens, NY. Is this a new policy at GOARCH to continue to have their employees or volunteer PC members file lawsuits against other GOARCH organizations?
PHOTO: The first visit of the Corona parish to the Archbishop. Ms. Vergos is second from the left and A.Koularmanis, installed parish council president, is near the center (fifth from the right)
By Nick Stamatakis
Less than two years after the infamous lawsuit by the former principal of St.Demetrios School A. Koularmanis against the parish – which was settled out of court and cost the parish tens of thousands $$ (disclosure: this lawsuit continues as a “defamation” lawsuit against the undersigned) – a new lawsuit was filed recently against the parish, this time by the former admissions director, Ms. Loriann Vergos. Ms. Vergos was hired by Koularmanis and served as admissions director for the school from January 2019 to March 2021.
The lawsuit (here is the full document (VERGOS VS. ST.DEMETRIOS COMPLAINT) was filed at the Queens County Supreme Court and lists a number of monetary violations of labor law against the parish: 7-10 hours per week overtime, weekend work etc. It is noteworthy that Ms. Vergos even accuses the parish of not paying her during her work in July and August! Well, if this is the case, one has to wonder what kind of contract Ms. Vergos signed… Is there any admissions director at any school who is supposed to take off during July and August?
Then there is the relationship between A. Koularmanis and Ms.Vergos. First, Koularmanis was the principal of the school in January 2019 and the one who hired her. Did he make her sign a contract and what terms were included? Second, a couple of months after AB Elpidophoros was enthroned (June 22, 2019), the new Archbishop hired Koularmanis as the new Education Director (he started there in Jan. 2020). But in the fall of 2019, Elpidophoros installed Koularmanis as the parish council president at the Transfiguration Church in Corona, Queens, and, strangely allowed Koularmanis to hand-pick (no elections) the parish council members!! Naturally, Koularmanis picked all his family and friends/associates, some of whom were from the scandal-plagued St.Demetrios School where he employed a number of family and friends!!
PHOTO: Another photo of the Corona parish council. Koularmanis and Vergos appear next to each other at the right.
The connection between Koularmanis and Vergos continues at Corona and underlines the leadership and management problems at GOARCH. Many, not only Helleniscope, had criticized AB Elpidophoros’s inaction at keeping Koularmanis employed after he filed a lawsuit against, arguably, the most important parish of GOARCH. Even TNH, who at that time was well reimbursed by GOARCH in the form of advertising went publicly against this “conflict of interest” situation. Now we have the second time that another person (interestingly having a close relationship with Koularmanis) does the same thing. When will it stop? We understand that where the Archbishop comes from (Turkey) the term “conflict of interest” does not mean much. But this is New York and this is America. Will he be the Archbishop of America or the “Pasha of New York”?
Finally, we cannot fail to mention the close connection between Bishop of Medeias Apostolos (Koufalakis), who happens today to visit St. Ekaterini of Astoria, and A.Koularmanis. It seems to me that Bishop Apostolos, who has a very tainted past when he served as the presiding priest in Astoria, is re-connecting with old “associates” like Koularmanis and he is trying to make a “comeback” in the parish and use it as a vault for his sickening ambitions (to become Archbishop). To Bishop Apostolos, we can say one thing: put your business in order first and show to all that you have sought advice and corrected some of your faults. Sit down with your supervisor, AB Elpidophoros, and review your management policies.
Is the Archbishop going to allow Ms.Vergos to sit in the Corona parish council and act as if nothing happened as she sues another neighboring parish? Is he going to allow all kinds of conflicts of interest to keep taking place under his nose? Or he is going to replace his lack of management skills with photo opportunities and meaningless smiles?
Enough is enough with ineptness, arrogance, vanity, and greed in GOARCH!
April 10, 2022, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
It never ends…a continuous stream of offenses spiritual and political… the recent article in The Telegraph regarding Karloutsos is damning! How much more horrible damage will the ruling elites of the Church do before it all collapses?
As long as people quietly put up with it ,it will go on and on, until they notice there are no people left to go on with. Not long now.
Around and around the wheel goes. Where it stops nobody knows. Do they not realize we are all watching them commit crimes?
Was Vergos Director of Admissions who at the request of Koularmanis refused registration to a parish council member’s two children? I heard the children attended the school since pre-K and were not allowed re-enroll.
This decision was by Andriotis and Koularmanis and I heard that from multiple sources. The decision was in the knowledge and blessing of Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos. From what I heard, this whole issue was revealed and discussed in a parish council meeting… Truly disgusting – the worst abuse of all we have described over the last few years…
This matter was not handled properly. Was the school board chairman involved in the decision? How anyone would allow this is really disturbing.
The school board chairman’s testimony (Foris Papamichael) and co-chair Andriotis, at that time, will have to testify on this and other issues…
Ζητάει και υπερωρίες η κυρία;;; Τα δυο τελευταία χρόνια , ζήτημα ήταν αν πήγαινε στο γραφείο δυο ώρες την ημέρα. Ο ανύπαρκτος school board chairman, (Papamichael) και ο ανίκανος Fr.Nectarios, την άφηναν να αλωνίζει. Γραφείαρα η κυρία , με επίπλωση από το σπίτι της. Οι δασκάλες των Ελληνικών, στην υπογα, χωρίς παράθυρο. Η δυστυχία του να είσαι Έλληνας. Μηδενικές εγγραφές, και ο μισθός να τρέχει. Έλεγχος κανένας. Αλήθεια με τι προσόντα;; Με τι πτυχία;;; Πρέπει να έκανε διδακτορικό στην Κουλαρμανειο σχολή. Όταν απόφοιτας απο εκει , κανεις και μια μηνυση στην κοινοτητα. Όταν η προηγούμενη διοίκηση ζητούσε απολογισμό της εργασίας της η κυρια κοπάναγε πορτες. Μιλάμε είχε ιππεύσει καλάμο. Κοινώς την είχε ψωνίσει. Αυτούς τους τενεκέδες μαζεύει γύρω του ο Αρχ. Ελπιδοκτονος. Αυτός ο τραγικός school board chairman, που αντί να βγει στην σύνταξη και να ζήσει σαν άνθρωπος, κοιτάζει να μην χάσει την θέση του, έχοντας τα καλά με ολους. Ομελέτα χωρίς να σπάσεις αυγά δεν γίνεται. Ούτε στο σχολείο δουλειά όταν είσαι άσχετος με το αντικείμενο. Ναναι καλα η (τρελλα), του πρώην ταμία , που καθάρισε μερικά από τα παράσιτα εκεί μέσα . Ερώτηση.:. Ποιος είχε υπογράψει το contract αυτής της κυρίας;;
I am so disgusted with what is going on with the Archbishop and all the churches. I
have stopped attending church because I’m turned off of these Oligarchs running our churches and their shenanigans. Thank you for exposing them because I don’t think many people are awareof what is going on.
Helen, don’t stop attending Church because of these ‘money changers’…you can attend an Antiochian or OCA parish. No need to deprive yourself entirely of spiritual nourishment!
Helen, I think you not going to church is the work of the devil. The church is a human organization made up of sinful people, it will never be perfect. Jesus was upset with the religious leaders of His time but continued to worship at the Temple. Additionally, who will facilitate change and speak the truth if the faithful people leave.