‘Diabolical men’: Greek Archbishop sues blogger over $10m scandal claims

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop is suing a blogger for defamation claiming he published false allegations of “diabolical” behaviour including misappropriating church millions.

The Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church claims a popular blogger falsely accused him of misappropriating millions of church dollars to fund a palatial apartment on Sydney Harbour and luxurious lifestyle while covering up abuse and dealing in bribes.

Archbishop Makarios Grinezakis, the head of the Orthodox faith in Australia, has appeared often on the widely read Greek Flash News blog penned by journalist Alkis Morelas.

His Eminence launched defamation proceedings in Sydney’s Federal Court this year over four articles by Morelas since August 2021.

The Archbishop’s court documents say Morelas’ articles falsely claim His Eminence conned the Greek community out of donations, misappropriated $10m in church funds, bribed the church patriarch, accepted a $1m bribe to promote his mates and covered up an alleged paedophile priest’s abuse.

The court heard much of the contentious blogging has focused on three church fundraisers; one for the Greek diaspora in the Black Summer bushfires, another for fires in Greece and a third for Africa.

Greek Orthodox leader Archbishop Makarios (left) at his enthronement at the Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady in Sydney in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Dylan Coker

The Archbishop’s barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, told the court on Monday that Morelas had no proof to back up claims His Eminence “funnelled” hundreds of thousands from the fundraisers into his own pockets.

Despite the claims, Mr Chrysanthou said, Morelas’ blog also appears to acknowledge $707,208 was distributed between Bega Valley Shire Council, Victorian and South Australian firefighters and Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

A further $250,000 remains in an account, the blog claims, because the Archbishop has delayed the transfer.

“It’s hard to see how there can be any dishonesty when the money is just sitting there, just waiting to be distributed,” Ms Chrysanthou told the court.

Morelas’ barrister, Tim Sowden, told the court on Monday that the articles are really asking “can you trust the Archbishop” to distribute funds properly because the bushfire funds were not sent to the Greek community, as initially pledged.

The blog also focuses on a $6.5m Millers Point apartment purchased for the Archbishop as his official Sydney residence in late 2019, the court heard.

Defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou is representing the Greek Orthodox Archbishop as he sues a blogger. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

The harbourside manor for His Eminence became the subject of multiple news reports when its purchase was revealed in mid-2020.

Morelas, in his proposed court defence, says it is a “notorious” fact that partly justifies his writings.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court the apartment was purchased in late 2019, months before the three fundraisers which allegedly funded the purchase.

“That kills the argument there,” Ms Chrysanthou said.

Ms Chrysanthou, on Monday, moved to have the blogger’s entire defence thrown out before the trial begins and said it was “hopeless” to try and justify some of the claims made on Greek Flash News.

The blogger accused His Eminence of using money from charitable church fundraisers to buy an apartment, which his lawyer says is impossible because the purchase was made months earlier. Picture: Supplied

“They are not representatives of God but representatives of Satan, diabolical men hiding their filth under their cassocks,” Morelas wrote in one translated article included in the court documents.

One article makes multiple accusations against senior figures in the church including “burning ice, ecstasy and coca instead of incense in our churches?”, “sex shops, abortions and peculiar monks” and affairs with married parishioners.

Ms Chrysanthou said “shocking allegations” were being made against people who cannot defend themselves as they’re not involved in the lawsuit.

In the same articles, the Archbishop alleges, Morelas falsely accused him of accepting a $1m bribe to promote someone within the church and further falsely accused him of bribing Greek media for good press.

The final translated article, in the court documents, says the Archbishop used “mafia-style methods” to cover up for a paedophile in the parish.

Also among the allegations, court documents say, is the Archbishop inappropriately spent church money on lavish trips to Europe, extravagant cassock robes and a chauffeur driven Holden Caprice in Sydney.

The Greek Orthodox leader’s extravagant robes and trips to Europe are legitimate church traditions, his lawyer argues. Picture: AAP Image/Dylan Coker

Ms Chrysanthou said it would be argued the car, the robes and the trips to Europe were all legitimate.

“It’s a strange allegation that (the Archbishop) has bought tailor made cassocks with extravagant trimmings … I can step in with 42 years experience and say that’s what they wear. That’s the tradition of the church.”

The claims are all denied by the Archbishop who said his “unblemished reputation” would be harmed by the defamatory campaign by Morelas.

The Archbishop is seeking damages and aggravated damages along with the removal of the blog posts.

Justice Wendy Abraham will rule on whether the blogger’s defence can be taken to trial in the coming days or weeks.