Christos Mavrikis, an 83-year-old man notorious for his role in the 1990s wiretapping scandal in Greece, was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly attempting to bribe a high-ranking judge. He reportedly offered money to influence an ongoing court case regarding the ownership of 100 acres of land in Papagou, a suburb of Athens.

The case was swiftly handed to the head prosecutor of Athens for investigation into possible judicial bribery.

Past Conviction:

In 1997, Mavrikis was convicted for attempting to bribe Ioanna Klapa, who is now President of Greece’s Supreme Court (Areios Pagos), during her time as an examining magistrate in a fuel smuggling case. He received a 12-month prison sentence.

The 1990s Wiretapping Scandal:

Mavrikis, a former technician at Greece’s telecoms company OTE, became infamous in the early 1990s when he admitted to illegally wiretapping politicians by installing bugs in telephone junction boxes (KAFKAO).

• He used “crocodile clips” to tap into phone lines and record conversations using cassette recorders.
• He claimed that key recordings were sent to the office of then-Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis.

Allegations and Political Fallout:

• Dora Bakoyannis (daughter of Mitsotakis and later a minister herself) was both a victim and alleged participant, according to Mavrikis.
• She was accused of knowing about a surveillance base allegedly located in the basement of a building on Aravantinou Street that belonged to her family.
• In Parliament, she denied the accusations, saying the building was in exclusive use by the New Democracy party from 1985–1990.

Who Was Being Tapped:

• Mavrikis claimed to have monitored over 100 PASOK officials, including Andreas Papandreou, Antonis Livanis, and even members of New Democracy such as Dora Bakoyannis and Miltiadis Evert.
• The reliability of these claims was questioned; technical checks found fewer cases than he claimed.

Legal and Political Ramifications:

• After PASOK regained power in 1994, a parliamentary inquiry considered bringing Mitsotakis and Bakoyannis to the Special Court. Ultimately, Bakoyannis was cleared, and legal proceedings were halted for political reasons.
• In 1998, Mavrikis was sentenced to five years in prison for crimes tied to the wiretapping scandal, including blackmail, illegal surveillance, and coercion.
• Victims included businesspeople and journalists, notably publisher Dimitris Rizos, who Mavrikis allegedly tried to blackmail live on TV.

More Recent Incidents:

• In August 2022, Mavrikis was arrested after threatening a citizen during a dispute at a gas station in Pikermi. He allegedly pulled a gun, prompting police intervention.
• Items found during his arrest included a flashlight-taser, a knife, a bullet casing, and at his home: an old WWII submachine gun (claimed to be a family heirloom) and 40 grams of cannabis.

Christos Mavrikis, a key figure in one of Greece’s most notorious political scandals, has returned to the public spotlight with a new alleged attempt to influence the judicial system. His past is deeply entangled with covert surveillance, political manipulation, and criminal convictions, making him a recurring symbol of scandal in modern Greek political history.