NEWS

Organized crime seen behind journalist’s murder

Organized crime seen behind journalist’s murder

Police investigating the execution-style killing of journalist Giorgos Karaivaz outside his Athens home on April 9 believe it to be linked to a series of unsolved murders stretching back to 2017 and a turf war between organized crime syndicates.

An experienced crime reporter, Karaivaz had private and professional connections in the Greek underworld and among corrupt police officers connected to it. He wrote extensively about both on his blog, Bloko, where he recently admitted to receiving death threats.

The 52-year-old journalist was also a key witness in a 2015-2017 National Intelligence Service probe into dirty police and sex/gambling rackets.

Two suspects linked to those rackets – both known to the journalist – were killed in 2019 and 2020. One of the officers implicated was gunned down in 2018. Karaivaz was also a witness in an ongoing case involving a large protection racket.

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