Panos Kammenos spoke with the mastermind of the Cretan mafia, according to the Hellenic Po

Source: ProtoThema English

The two brothers—hoteliers and alleged masterminds of the Cretan mafia—were seeking the election of “their man” to the position of Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas, and in fact requested the mediation of former Minister of Defense and leader of ANEL, Panos Kammenos. As described in detail in the case file against them, one of the brothers directly raises the issue during a telephone conversation he initiates for this purpose with Mr. Panos Kammenos, and Kammenos assures him that “provided the election depends on the American factor, it will be achieved with certainty, since, as he puts it, he controls it completely.”

According to the case file, Panos Kammenos avoids direct telephone communication with the candidate favored by the two brothers. However, the hotelier—who has already been reassured by Kammenos that he controls the positive outcome of the request for mediation “provided it depends on the American factor”—sends him a written message with the details of their “chosen” candidate for Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas, Archimandrite Melchisedek.

In the case file section that concerns the illegal occupation and sale of land belonging to the Monastery of Agia Triada of Chania, and the subsequent blackmail to prevent the Monastery from reclaiming the 175-acre plot (which in the meantime the two brothers had sold to Israeli businessmen), the following is noted:

• One of the hoteliers—accused as a mastermind of the Cretan mafia—is found to maintain contacts with a particular Archimandrite, Melchisedek, who harbors ambitions of being elected Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas, with the election scheduled for October. In fact, according to the case file, in order to mediate for the Archimandrite’s election, the hotelier demands as compensation a piece of… sacred relics—bones of Saint Lazarus—which the cleric has in his possession.
• On August 12th, the hotelier contacts Panos Kammenos by phone. He speaks to him about the Archimandrite, claiming he is acceptable to the Patriarchate, to the American base in Chania, and to others. He makes a point of stressing to Mr. Kammenos that the Archimandrite is a particularly beloved and close friend of his. He even seizes the opportunity to ask the former minister to allow the Archimandrite himself to speak with him. However, Mr. Kammenos refuses direct communication at that moment and tells the accused hotelier to pass along to the Archimandrite his certainty that, if the election depends on the American factor, it will be achieved with certainty, since, as he puts it, “he controls it completely.” A few minutes later, the accused sends a message to Panos Kammenos with the Archimandrite’s name and the phrase “for Bishop of Chania.” The alleged mafia mastermind then communicates with the Archimandrite and conveys Kammenos’s assurances.
• The Archimandrite asks the hotelier to press the former minister to act immediately, “since moves must be made by the end of August,” and he does not fail to thank him for the donation the now-accused had made to the Church.
• The case file states that, in another conversation with the Archimandrite, the hotelier claims to have had a second communication on the matter of the election with Mr. Kammenos, while afterward he… negotiates with the cleric in order to obtain a piece of the authentic True Cross.

The original article: https://en.protothema.gr/2025/09/02/panos-kammenos-spoke-with-the-mastermind-of-the-cretan-mafia-according-to-the-hellenic-police-wiretap/ belongs to ProtoThema English .