The two brothers who according to police are the leaders of the Cretan mafia and face blackmail charges appeared before the investigator shortly before 10 AM on Tuesday (9/9). It should be noted that the two brothers are accused of blackmailing the abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery with explicit videos and photos, thus extracting a certificate stating that the prime 175-acre plot does not belong to the Monastery.
Read: Cretan mafia: Two brothers testify over selling Zorba’s mountain and blackmailing Holy Trinity Abbot
Cretan mafia: “The crooks got their comeuppance, the bubble burst” – Two brothers before investigator (Video)
As recorded in video secured by zarpanews.gr, from early morning, people from their circle were present at the scene encouraging them with phrases like: “Strength”, “The crooks got their comeuppance”, “The bubble burst”. The two brothers are expected to testify regarding the accusations against them in the blackmail case, a scandal involving the leadership of the local Church with the economic focus being the sale of a 175-acre plot on the mountain of the legendary Alexis Zorba.
Cretan mafia: They threatened the abbot with explicit video
The controversial transaction directly involves the Holy Trinity Monastery, as in 2017, the then Abbot and then Chief Secretary of the Kydonia and Apokoronas Diocese, allegedly blackmailed with explicit video, was dragged into signing certificates renouncing church property.
Moreover, the blackmail material appears to be a specific video held by a Chania journalist (who allegedly participated in the blackmail) with the crime investigation subdivision of Chania requesting further investigation as there are references to indecent acts against minor boys.
The charges against the two brothers
According to zarpanews, both he and his 47-year-old brother are prosecuted for:
1] Blackmail committed by conspiracy and continuously
2] Dangerous bodily harm by conspiracy,
3] Influence peddling committed by conspiracy and continuously
4] Employee bribery committed by conspiracy and continuously and
5] Money laundering from criminal activities
It should be noted that the former abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery also faces felony charges, specifically for:
1] Moral instigation of blackmail, committed continuously
2] Moral instigation of dangerous bodily harm committed continuously
3] Breach of trust against a public legal entity with damages exceeding 120,000 euros
Indeed, the abbot allegedly often asked the mafia leaders to beat up specific individuals he considered obstacles to his business dealings.
