Conversation Between Greek Politician and Mafia Leader on Election of Bishop: 'It Depends Only On the Americans'

Panos Kammenos and Kimberly Guilfoyle. Photo: Protothema

CRETE — An ongoing case in Greece involving the Cretan mafia has produced a shocking revelation, as a conversation that was wiretapped by law enforcement infers the need for explicit American approval in ecclesiastical matters of the Church.

According to reporting from Greek media site Protothema, Panos Kammenos, a notable Greek politician who formerly served as the country's Minister of Defense, spoke with a high-profile defendant in the Cretan mafia case about the necessary steps to elect one Archimandrite Melchisedek as the Bishop of Kydonia and Apokoronas. The conversation includes reference to U.S. President Donald Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. Ambassador to Greece.

Archimandrite Melchisedek currently serves as a parish priest in Crete and has stressed to local media that he was not involved in any illegal activity. Court documents imply that the archimandrite was part of a nefarious campaign to ensure his election as bishop, and that "a hotel owner allegedly tried to influence Melchisedek’s ecclesiastical election and requested religious relics as favors," according to reporting from ekathimerini.com. 

Melchisedek has argued that all of his interactions with individuals under police investigation "were purely pastoral and part of routine contact with parishioners." He also denied offering any holy relics as bargaining chips in the election, which is scheduled to take place later this month.

The following is published verbatim from the phone call, as translated by Protothema:

Mafia Leader: There’s a bishop in Chania… he’s an archimandrite.

Panos Kammenos: Yes.

Mafia Leader: He’s our man and he’s running to become bishop because the previous one died, but he wasn’t in the lists. It will happen in October by 99% because the Patriarchate wants it.

Panos Kammenos: Yes.

Mafia Leader: The man is a very close friend of mine. I’ve told him about you. I tell him, “Brother, I was with Kammenos. He can support you. Kammenos wants it, and the American base wants it because the area is in Akrotiri, and even Trump himself wants him.”

Panos Kammenos: On October 10, Kimberly comes here where we control the whole system. I’m with her now, she’s beside me.

Mafia Leader: What are you saying…

Panos Kammenos: Don’t speak too much. If it depends on the Americans, I’ll take care of it.

Mafia Leader: No, it depends only on the Americans because it’s their area.

Panos Kammenos: I’m taking care of it!

Since the release of the audio recording, Kammenos has said that he was only joking.

“Five-hundred people call me every day. How can I take seriously someone who believes that Trump can intervene to make an archimandrite a metropolitan? These are ridiculous things," Kammenos said on a Greek television show. "I was obviously joking with him! I don’t remember if there are other conversations of mine. Why, I wonder, are only my conversations selectively leaked from a criminal organization case file? They are attempting character assassination."

A second excerpt has also been released from what appears to be a later conversation, in which the alleged mafia leader reiterates that Kammenos needs "to pressure for our guy to become Metropolitan of Chania."

Kammenos later reveals that he has returned from America, but that, as soon as the request was made, he "immediately" gave it to the Americans, later clarifying that he gave it to Trump's staff.

"Well done," the mafia leader replies. "If you gave it there we’re set."

Previously, UOJ reported that President Donald Trump had told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the "Greek Orthodox Church" wants help re-opening the Halki Theological Seminary.

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