According to The Toronto Star, a seasoned city official in Toronto has refuted claims that he is a part of a Greek organized crime syndicate headed by a former Hells Angels hitman.
The city's senior director of transportation services, Kypros Perikleous, was 55 years old. His LinkedIn page states that he spent 37 years in various roles working for the municipal council. Up to his retirement in December of last year, he had been on long-term medical leave due to a cardiac issue.
However, Perikleous was engaged in unlawful bookmaking at this time, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), "for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a criminal organization – namely, the Greek Syndicate – to commit an indictable offence."
Perikleous is also accused of improperly storing a firearm and of having more than $5,000 in profits of crime.
Center of Power
Perikleous was allegedly "close enough to the center of power in the organization to warrant the criminal organization charge," according to the Mounties.
Brian Greenspan, Perikleous' attorney, claims his client is innocent of all charges and will fight them in court.
He looks forward to receiving disclosure and the opportunity to respond to any suggestion of impropriety,” Greenspan said. “As to the storage of firearms at his home, these were licensed and legal and stored in accordance with published guidelines provided by the RCMP.”
Perikleous was one of sixteen persons detained in April on multiple homes in the Toronto, Scarborough, and Vaughan areas. During the raids, police found and confiscated jewelry, illegal gaming gadgets, guns, and over $250K in cash.
Ineffective Mob Attack
Prosecutors think Paris Christofouro, whose whereabouts are still unknown, is the network's commander. Former Hells Angels enforcer Christofouro was given a nine-year prison term in 2006 for a poorly executed shooting that rendered a bystander paralyzed.
Christofouro had to go into hiding after two attempts on his life, according to a 2018 Star article. Christoforou was shot in August 2017 while he was parked outside a Starbucks in Toronto by a cloaked gunman.
Feeling of Incredulity
Perikleous may spend up to five years in jail for unlawful bookmaking and an additional two years for each of the other two accusations if found guilty.
Mary-Margaret McMahon, a former city councilor who is also a provincial member, told the Star that she found it difficult to reconcile the accusations with the man she used to work with.
"Kyp" was described by her as "extremely amiable, sincere, diligent, and eager to find solutions to help build a better city."
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