A Greek priest and YouTuber at the center of a drug-trafficking case delivered a lengthy, detailed testimony in which he admitted to using cocaine inside the church where he worked and hiding narcotics in the parish safe, according to statements revealed on Thursday.
Priest Says He and Accomplice Used Drugs in Church Kitchen
The 46-year-old cleric confessed that he and another man consumed cocaine in the church kitchen, the same space where meals for vulnerable people were supposed to be prepared.
He told investigators that those described by police as drug-dependent buyers were, in fact, the suppliers.
“I would stick my hand out through the bars with the money, he would put the packet in my hand, and then leave,” he said, adding that all his money went to drugs and that he eventually had to borrow from third parties to sustain his addiction.
Donations Unaccounted For
It remains unclear what happened to the funds donated by worshippers and supporters. Despite facing charges of drug trafficking, the priest used part of his testimony to praise his own charitable work, saying he organized food programs, had published a cookbook, and earned income from his YouTube channel, which he claimed had 25 million views and 210,000 subscribers.
He also requested to be examined by a medical expert to determine the level of his drug dependence.
He Blames the Alleged “Leader”
The priest placed responsibility on a 52-year-old woman he described as the “leader” of the drug ring, saying he was one of her victims. According to his account, she introduced him and a second man to “freebase” cocaine, which he said intensified their addiction.
He claimed the woman provided daily doses without immediate payment, insisting they would “settle later.” After one or two months, she allegedly demanded €1,900, saying they owed her for the drugs.
The priest admitted he needed about €100 a day to maintain his cocaine use, even as he used his YouTube channel to promote his supposed charity work and solicit contributions from followers.
Accusations of False Piety
In his testimony, he also revealed that he sometimes presented himself as a high-ranking cleric, instructed musicians to bow and kiss his hand, and even had police cars close streets so he could pass with the Holy Fire during religious ceremonies.
When the church closed at night, he said, he returned to heavy drug use. Code words were used in communications: “macaroni,” for example, meant a quantity of cocaine. Cannabis, he added, was referred to as “fanouropita.”
He claimed that after being evicted from his home in late summer, he began living inside the church, where drug use continued.
The Woman Accused as the “Leader” Rejects His Claims
The woman he accused—who has also been detained—offered a starkly different account in a statement. She said she had struggled with addiction in the past and had sought spiritual help from the priest, only to be “deceived.”
“I was not the leader,” she said. “I was a woman trying to rebuild my life and became a victim of people who wore a fake mask of holiness.”
She added that she is now in custody, away from her children, including a daughter recovering from a serious health issue.