In Thessaloniki, clerics convicted for forging Phanar seals and fraud
Two clerics were convicted of fraud amounting to 1.5 million euros and forging documents with Phanar seals to "promote" a candidate for a diocese.
On March 27, 2026, the Court of Appeals of Thessaloniki (Greece) sentenced a former archimandrite and his accomplice to more than 12 years in prison for a high-profile case of fraud against believers, reports Orthodoxia Info.
The court found the defendants guilty of fraud, money laundering, participation in a criminal group, and document forgery without mitigating circumstances. Each received 12 years and 6 months of imprisonment, as well as a fine of 20 thousand euros.
According to the investigation, from 2018 to 2023, the accused collected more than 1.5 million euros by convincing believers that the funds were allegedly necessary for promoting a candidate for a high church position in Thessaloniki.
To make their actions credible, they used, as the court established, forged documents with seals of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Greek state authorities, and European structures. In return, they promised victims refunds and positions in church administration.
The scheme began to unravel after some victims stopped transferring money and began their own investigations. One of the accused did not appear in court and remains in custody, while his 63-year-old accomplice received a suspended sentence due to health conditions.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Orthodox parishes in Greece declared a lack of funds for basic needs.
