1 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: You know that old saying about Chekhov's gun. You know, 2 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: if you introduce a gun in the first act, it's 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: gonna go off well. In this case, our good thief 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: is carrying a suitcase full of guns and grenades. It's 5 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and six. Vasili's Paliokostas is fresh alpha helicopter, 6 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: escaped from prison. He's itching to make as much money 7 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: as possible, as quickly as possible, and then he needs 8 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: to get the hell out. He wants to do what 9 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: he meant to do after the Giant bank robbery and Ioanni, 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: and the same thing he intended to do after the 11 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: kidnapp He wants to take a pile of money and 12 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: get out of the game. Except this time everything he 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: holds deer, his sense of self, his moral code, and yes, 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: even his unwillingness to pick up a loaded gun, pulled 15 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: it point blank at a man, and then pull the trigger. 16 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: All that's about to be testing. I'm Miles Greg from 17 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts. This is the Good Peace, Chapter one, 18 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: escaped from Athens. When Vasilis was in prison, he couldn't 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: stop worrying about his mother and father. He mentioned it 20 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: casually to inmates. He discussed it with the detectives, who 21 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: paid him a visit in his cell. Vasilis's family was 22 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: under constant surveillance because even though he was locked up, 23 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: his brother Nicos was on the lamb, and the police 24 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: kept trying to figure out if the family knew something. 25 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: But now that Nicos was behind bars and Vasilis had 26 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: escaped Codri Delos, it wasn't like the harassment stop. The 27 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: police were certain that the family was withholding information, so 28 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: they watched their every move. They tried to offer the 29 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: Palio Coostas family various deals. They offered them reward money, 30 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: They promised to keep their sons safe and alive in 31 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: exchange for information. But the Paliocostases are a tight knit 32 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: bunch and no amount of surveillance or pressure could get 33 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: them to talk. Here's George to explain. 34 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 2: Yeah. So obviously this frustrated the police, but it especially 35 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 2: frustrated that once Vacilis got out, because Vasilis was believed 36 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 2: to have been quote influenced by terrorists and corridalos. At 37 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: least that's what Vasilis e Fimiu, the officer who had 38 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: been assigned to a twenty four hour task force to 39 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: hunt Vacilis told us it. 40 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 3: Has a couple of yours books, and Vasilis, from what 41 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 3: is heard, has dabbled in terrorism. 42 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: He was dangerous. Basically, the police weren't just worried about 43 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: what Vasilis had done in the past. They were worried 44 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: about what he would going to do under the sway 45 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: of his new terrorist friends. Vassilis already had a dim 46 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: view of how society was functioning under the Greek government, 47 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: so was it that much of a stretch to assume 48 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: he might try to make a statement with his next crime. 49 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: It wasn't long before Greece's anti terrorism units joined the 50 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: hunt for Vassilis. They staked out Nicos's old hiding spots. 51 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: They set up roadblocks and checkpoints, They interviewed locals and 52 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: scoured the mountain side for hideouts, and of course, they 53 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: continued to spy on the family abode. But detectives, it 54 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: turns out, were looking in the wrong place. 55 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 4: After Vasilis escaped in two thousand and six, he tricked 56 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 4: the authorities by staying in Athens. It was the last 57 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 4: place they expected him to be. In truth, Vassi's hated Athens. 58 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 4: In contrast to his mountain home, where he talks about 59 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 4: the cool breeze carrying the scenti and regano and grass. 60 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 4: He saw Athens as a concrete wasteland, a soul less 61 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 4: extension of Corrivalos. But Vasilis had a specific reason for 62 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 4: sticking around, and it wasn't just a trick corps. It 63 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 4: was to make money, life changing, leave the country forever, 64 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 4: money because Athens was home to Greece's richest men, and 65 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 4: Vasilis had his mind set on another kidnapping. 66 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: If you recall the last kidnapping with the Hall of 67 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: a King, it didn't go to plant. Nicos had led 68 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: the negotiations and without consulting his younger brother, he had 69 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: agreed to a lesser ransom. Vasilis had been livid about it. 70 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,359 Speaker 1: In his opinion, Nicos had been much too soft, and 71 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: instead of getting the money the pair wanted, they ended 72 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 1: up with a fraction of it. For years now, Vasilis 73 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: had been stewing over this and he wasn't going to 74 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: allow it to happen again for his next kidnapping. He 75 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: was not going to be disrespected like some petty criminal, 76 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: and he was not going to be shortchanged plus he'd 77 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,119 Speaker 1: already picked out a target Petti cles Panagopolis. 78 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, you need to know this is insane. So people 79 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 4: in America might not know the name, but in Greece 80 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 4: everyone knows panago He's one of the country's richest shipping tycoons. 81 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 4: He's basically a gajillionnaire, so he'd clearly be making a 82 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 4: statement with this kidnapping. Except a few months into doing 83 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 4: his homework, Vassi's changed his mind. He learns that the 84 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 4: seventy year old multimillionaire is sick, and again, this is 85 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 4: where the morals come in, right. Vasilis believes it's wrong 86 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 4: to put a sick man through the stress of a kidnapping. 87 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 4: It's it's the kind of act that Vasilis likes to say. 88 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 4: Shit the difference between a criminal and an outlaw. A 89 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 4: criminal only thinks of himself. An outlaw, however, weighs the 90 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 4: moral balance of his actions first. 91 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: So Vasilis has to start over looking for a new target. 92 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,679 Speaker 1: He expands his search radius beyond Athens, and he finds 93 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: one not far from home, Chapter two, Kidnapping two point zero. 94 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: In two thousand and eight, Vasili's returned to the mountains 95 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: up north Athens had worn him down. He yearned for 96 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: the countryside, and even though the anti terrorism squads were 97 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: hunting him all over the mountains, he still felt safer 98 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: up north. But that's also where he found a new 99 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: kidnapping target, George Milanas, who I asked my colleague George about. 100 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 2: George Milanas runs one of the biggest aluminium companies in Europe, 101 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: but more importantly, at the time, he was president of 102 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: the board of the Federation of Industries of Greece. Basically, 103 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 2: he ran a syndicate of CEOs, and that meant he 104 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 2: also had high level connections to the Bank of Greece. 105 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 2: But Milanas was more than just rich and well connected. 106 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 2: This was two thousand and eight, and if you recall, 107 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: that's the year Greece and the rest of the world 108 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: were bracing for a financial calamity. And Milanas, while he's smart, 109 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 2: he's connected. He sees the writing on the wall. So 110 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 2: what does the millionaire tell his workers to do. He 111 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 2: tells him to tighten their belts because pay cuts are coming. 112 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: And when Vacillis hears this, the idea that Milanas is 113 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: protecting his own wealth while asking his poor and play 114 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 2: is systemic. The hard shit. Well that's it, decision, mate, 115 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 2: His victim has been chosen. 116 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: Vasilis knows he can't do this alone, so he recruits 117 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: a few partners to help, and he's really careful about it. 118 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: He plucks three crooks with no records. Basically, aside from Vasilis, 119 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: no one on this crew is on the police's radar. 120 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: The only problem is that means they're inexperienced, like they're 121 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: actually so green that Vasilis has to take them up 122 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: to a remote mountaintop to give them lessons on how 123 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: to hold and shoot AK forty sevens green. But whatever 124 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 1: they lack and experience, they make up for an eagerness. 125 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: On the night of the kidnapping, they dress in camouflage 126 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: and hide in the woods outside Milonas's mansion, and they 127 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: wait for the businessman to pull up in his car. 128 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: Costas Kukumakas, a local newspaper journalist, was on the job. 129 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 5: The night had happened years. 130 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 6: I remember the nights nothing. I was a young editor 131 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 6: at the newspaper. June ninth, two thousand and eight, Milonas 132 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 6: is with his wife. He says to his boat to God, okay, 133 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 6: go away, I don't need you, I'll go home on 134 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 6: my own. 135 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 1: From his hideout, Vasili spies the high teams of Milonas's 136 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: Mercedes winding up the mountain road. He tracks it as 137 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: it pulls into the driveway. Vasili SLINKs towards the car. 138 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 6: His goons followed Samatado's initial restricution of lot. When Milonas 139 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 6: attends to his house, he's surrounded by three or four 140 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 6: people in the hoods. 141 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: At his garage door. 142 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 6: They take his wife out of the car. 143 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: Vasilis opens the driver's side door, grabs the millionaire and 144 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: throws him into the back of the Mercedes. 145 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 7: Milonas, come on, let's go for a ride. 146 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: Vasilis is riding high on adrenaline. The kidnapping couldn't be 147 00:09:55,559 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: going smoother. Milonas doesn't have his security detail with him us. 148 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: His wife is so terrified, she's not gonna do a thing. 149 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: Vasilis is in total command. Then he jumps into the 150 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: driver's seat and turns the key and it won't start. 151 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: He turns the key again and nothing happens. The car 152 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: won't shift out of park. 153 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 7: Got the. 154 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 6: Balsa sits in the car in the divers seat, but 155 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 6: he can't start the car. 156 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: Because it's a new model. Vasilis is embarrassed. His junior 157 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: recruits are shouting tips, Milona's wife is screaming. It's chaos. 158 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: The whole scene sets Vasilis off. The last time he 159 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: was arrested, it was because he couldn't start a car. 160 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: There's no way he's gonna let it happen again. He 161 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: also has a less selfish reason for hurrying on his 162 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: way in. He noticed that Milona's two young daughters walking 163 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: up the road. He doesn't want them to get home 164 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: in time to witness their dad's of duck. Vasilis jumps 165 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: out of the car, points his gun at the millionaire's 166 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: head and tells him take the wheel and don't try 167 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: anything funny. Bilonas he does as he's told. 168 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 6: So it was Milanas himself drove a few kilometers down 169 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 6: the road. 170 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: As Milonas turns onto the main road, vasili sees the girls. 171 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: He figures they'll recognize their dad's car, probably wonder where 172 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: he's going, but it's too late to do anything about 173 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: that now. Vasilis instructs his victim turned chauffeur to drive 174 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: until they reach a deserted dirt road. They follow that 175 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: for a few miles, and when it dead ends, Vasilis 176 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: tells Milonas to stop. A getaway car is waiting. 177 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 6: For them to piano quinto. They take his cell phone 178 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 6: and he's watch in case has ZPs. They put glasses 179 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 6: on him with lenses painted over, and then they switch cars. 180 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 6: They all get into the same car and they take 181 00:11:58,720 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 6: him to the hideout. 182 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: Everything from here moves like clockwork per Vasilis's plans. The 183 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: kidnappers don't travel far, just twenty or so minutes south 184 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: of the millionaire's house to a quaint and quiet village 185 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: called Suo ti Vaala Miikustin. 186 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 6: They take him inside the little house with a parking 187 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 6: lot and with the shed in the buck Yet. 188 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: They drag me Lonas out of the car and lead 189 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: him toward the garden shed out back inside, they remove 190 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: his goggles. Turns out Vasilis has transformed the tool shed 191 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: into a tiny house. There's a bed, a portable toilet, 192 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: there's a radio fixed to the public radio station. The 193 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: kidnappers even give Milonas a fresh pair of clothes and 194 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: a pair of slippers. When Nikos was running things, they 195 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: were just driving around the countryside with their abductee, but 196 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: Vasilis has some improvements. Now they just have to wait. 197 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: The police, of course, don't know any of these details yet. 198 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: Ghost As Kukumakas the newspaper reporter. He's in the newsroom 199 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: monitoring the police scanner. 200 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,319 Speaker 6: And the radio operator was screaming something really huge had 201 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 6: happened with them, and when understood from the context, it 202 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 6: was a kidnapper. 203 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: Within hours, police find Milonas's car and begin rummaging through 204 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: it for any clues left by the kidnappers. When they 205 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: open the glove box, they find a message printed on 206 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: a sheet of computer paper. 207 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:36,959 Speaker 7: We are kidnappers. 208 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 8: We are demanding thirty million euros as ransom. 209 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: Chapter three the ransom. At the newspaper office, ghost As 210 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: Kukumakas start working overtime thirty million euros. It's the biggest 211 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: kidnapping ransom in Greek history, and at that moment nobody 212 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: has any idea who was behind the abductionsction. 213 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 6: I was assigned by the editor in chief to see 214 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 6: how the investigation was going. I called every police I knew. 215 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 6: They were telling me the kidnapper is not a foreigner. 216 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 6: They were setting for a man with an accent amountain accent. 217 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: Whenever Vasilis called the family to negotiate, police were on 218 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: the line eavesdropping and they noticed that the top kidnapper 219 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: talked like somebody who grew up in Greece's north. Kukumakas 220 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: had a suspicion of who it might be. 221 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 6: So and I said that pale Coostas was one of 222 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 6: the luckiest suspects. 223 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: This did not go as he had planned. 224 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 6: The next day, a competing newspaper came out and said, 225 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 6: this is bullishit he's the only suspect the police are 226 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 6: not looking at. My newspaper director immediately called my editor 227 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 6: in chief and said, your reporter is writing what is 228 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 6: he out of his mind? 229 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: As Koku Makas is getting chewed out by his editors 230 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: for his theory on the Milona's kidnapping, Milonas himself is 231 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: living in that shed, basically ordering room service. Every day, 232 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: Vasilis delivers food and newspapers to Milonas, where the millionaire 233 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: gets to read about his own kidnapping. Eventually, he gets 234 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: so comfortable with Vasilis that he tells him, yeah, that 235 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: thirty million, you're asking for good luck with that. 236 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 7: Media. 237 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 6: Milanas tells him. If my people raise three million, you'll 238 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 6: be like you'd see. It's not easy. 239 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: Milonas explains, I'm rich, but that doesn't mean my wealth 240 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: is liquid. Not even a multimillionaire can just go to 241 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: the bank and walk out with thirty million in cash. 242 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: Of course, this isn't what Vasilis wants to hear. Remember, 243 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: he's trying to emerge from his brother's shadow here, and 244 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: he wants his full share of money this time around. 245 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: In typical Vasili's style, he sees the man's snub as 246 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: an insult to his intelligence. 247 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 7: Thirty million euros are a holy grail when in Milonasi's hands, 248 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 7: yet they automatically become Satan's trident when Palo Costas gets 249 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 7: a hold of them. 250 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: Vasilis is resolved. He is not going to make the 251 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: mistakes his brother Nicos did. There won't be any concessions 252 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: this time around. He's getting his money, all of it. 253 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: The day's drag. A week passes, and well stop me 254 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: if you've heard this before, But Vasili starts becoming friends 255 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: with his hostage. 256 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 6: They begin having some sudial conversations, kind of shocked by 257 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 6: milon NASA's heavy accent. The same Tasalion accent kikas. 258 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: These boys in the North realize they share a brotherhood. 259 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: They discuss politics and capitalism, philosophizing like two buds sitting 260 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 1: at the bar. At one point they spent an hour 261 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: debating how heavy a sack full of money must weigh. 262 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: And milonas he's getting more and more comfortable, He's wearing 263 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 1: the slippers, kicking back in his chair, reading news about himself. 264 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: He feels so safe that he builds up the courage 265 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: to complain about the radio programming. His kidnappers have chosen snarhim. 266 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 6: And they have classical music playing the entire time, non stop, 267 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 6: and he complains. He says, guys, please change the tunnel 268 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 6: or I'll go crazy. 269 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: When Vasilis isn't becoming best buds with his hostage, he 270 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: and his trio are trying to figure out how exactly 271 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: to transfer the money, cashing out the details of a 272 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: money drop with Milnas's wife. 273 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 6: There were seven occasions what are the kidnappers and the 274 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 6: family spoke to negotiate the terms of the romstrom. 275 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 1: And then fifteen days into the kidnapping, they agree on 276 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: a location for the drop. 277 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 7: I thought it hit. 278 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 6: And that are delivered, they threw it behind some booshes 279 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 6: in a parking look. There were five or six bugs 280 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 6: filled with ten point eight million euros. It was the 281 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 6: largest amount until that point that had been paid as 282 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 6: a as a kidnapping. 283 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: Suddenly, Vasilis is the proud holder of two records, Greece's 284 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: biggest bank robbery and Greece's biggest kidnapping ransom. But he's 285 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: not in this for the records. Back at the safe house, 286 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: they start counting the cash. After running it through a 287 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 1: money counter, Vasilis realizes it's nineteen million euros short of 288 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: the demand. There are only ten point eight million euros 289 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: in here, a third of what he asked for. Vasilis 290 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: got built again, and he is fuming. Vasilis can't believe 291 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: the disrespect. What kind of family does this guy have? 292 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: I'm a so called dangerous criminal, Greece's number one. Vasilis 293 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: just can't understand it. 294 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 7: It's crazy to me that he was willing to become 295 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 7: a martyr in the arms of a kidnapper as long 296 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 7: as his bank account remains intact. 297 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: Vasilis's mind is spinning. What's he supposed to do now? 298 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: How is he going to get the other nineteen million. 299 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: Vasilis is angry, livid. He asks himself what would the 300 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: mafia do? And then Vasilis is suddenly struck by a thought, 301 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: a terrible thought, a thought that would have never occurred 302 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,479 Speaker 1: to his brother Nicos. Kidnappings work because fan families are 303 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: afraid their loved one might get killed. They pay up 304 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: to keep them safe if the family refuses to meet 305 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: his demands. Isn't it Vasilis's responsibility to go through with 306 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: his thread to show he's serious. 307 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 7: I was wondering what's more moral for someone to die 308 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 7: for money they don't need and one miss or for 309 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 7: someone to kill for money they immediately need and they're 310 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 7: being deprived off. 311 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: If Nicos were in charge, they wouldn't entertain the thought 312 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: of killing Milonas. But those days are over. A new 313 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 1: Palocostas is in charge, so as Vasilis fumes, he keeps 314 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 1: thinking about it. Then he goes to the shed. He 315 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 1: wraps a blindfold around the rich man's eyes. He drags 316 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: him outside and throws him in the trunk of the 317 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 1: getaway car. Soon they're making a journey to a dead 318 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: end in the mountains. The car rattles and shakes as 319 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: it plunges deep into the middle of nowhere. The car 320 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: lurches to a stop. The kidnappers open the trunk, They 321 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,360 Speaker 1: remove the blindfold. They tell me Lonas to get out. 322 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: They walk him into the woods, and then Vasilis makes 323 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: a choice. He says, this is goodbye. He reaches into 324 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 1: his pocket and pulls out car keys. He had thought 325 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: about pressing a gun to Milonas's head, a revolver or 326 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: a scorpion, or any one of the many weapons he 327 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: was carrying, but he can't do it. Instead, he tosses 328 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: Milanas his keys to the vehicle. You're free to go, 329 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 1: he says, find your way home. In his book, vasili 330 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: says that he let Melanas go because he had a 331 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 1: gut feeling, a gut feeling that the family wasn't trying 332 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: to screw him, that they nearly a seven million euros 333 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: was in fact all they could get. In each sack 334 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: of money. There was a letter handwritten from Ilonas's wife. 335 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: Each letter apologized that the sum wasn't what the kidnappers 336 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: have asked for. Each one pleaded for understanding. Maybe harder 337 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: criminals would have played tough, but Vasilis isn't that different 338 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: from his brother. After all, he too wants to be 339 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: a good thief. Chapter four, Mattinee. A few months later, 340 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: Vasilis is living it up at another safe house, just 341 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 1: a couple miles from the kidnapping site. He's cooling his heels, 342 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: sitting on his money, and letting the commotion die down. 343 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: He's staying with friends. Maybe it's a last hurrah. He 344 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: also has an insane stockpile of weapons with him, Ammo explosives, ak's, 345 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: bulletproof vests. He even has a rocket propelled grenade launcher 346 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:14,440 Speaker 1: in there. One morning, vasili steps out onto the veranda. 347 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: He SIPs his coffee and takes in the view. But 348 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: today he notices something strange. People keep driving past his house. 349 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 6: He's very suspicious. He wakes up very early in the morning, 350 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 6: five six o'clock. He goes out and keeps an eye 351 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 6: on people passing by. During one of the investigations, some 352 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 6: officers are driven by the house disguise Asplamber's in Avan. 353 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: Vasilis gets this sense he's being watched, and he's right, 354 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: but he ignores his instincts. He stays home. He puts 355 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: on an action movie instead, a guilty pleasure months earlier, 356 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: vasili sent his accomplices had split them in on us money. 357 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: A lot of the money was buried in the backyard somewhere, 358 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: but one of his guys didn't listen to Vasilis's careful instructions. 359 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: He wanted to enjoy his spoils, so he high tailed 360 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: it to the Greek Islands and went on a spending spree. 361 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 7: And a. 362 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 6: Key mistake was that an accomplice, one of the perpetrators, 363 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 6: went to Crete with he said, and suddenly began to 364 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 6: live a life of luxury. He buys a very expensive 365 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 6: god jeep, he buys people drinks. 366 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: What Vasilis and his crew didn't know is that all 367 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: of that money had been marked, and it's not long 368 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 1: before the police trace the cash to Creep and have 369 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,959 Speaker 1: this dope in cuffs down at the station. He breaks 370 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: almost immediately, So while Vasilis is relaxing in his safe 371 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: house watching his daily dose of Kung Fu, he fails 372 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: to see that a swat team is closing in around 373 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: his hea house, at least not until a break in 374 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: the film. When Vasilis gets up to stretch, wearing just 375 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: his shorts and slippers, he steps onto the balcony. Suddenly, 376 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: dozens of small red dots light up his chest laser sights, but. 377 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 6: The kickers on the camp He's completely surrounded by swat teams. 378 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 6: He realizes that he no longer has a way to escape, 379 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 6: so he says something along the lines of okay, I 380 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 6: admit it. 381 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 7: I lost. 382 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 3: Suddenly the human world moves forward, knees bent, fast steps, 383 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 3: their guns aiming right at me. Soon they raped the door. 384 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 7: Someone pushes me, another one drinks me, and I find 385 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 7: myself handcuffed on the lawn. 386 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: As Vasilis is led into the police car, he screams. 387 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 5: Outsa I have two pomps. 388 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,919 Speaker 7: They are famous. They belong to Palosness. 389 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 8: Somebody who loves animals take care of them. 390 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: It's an endearing story. Vasilis, the so called hardened criminal, 391 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 1: gets arrested in his PJS while watching an action movie 392 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: he rented from Greek Blockbuster, and the last thing he 393 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: thinks about before getting taken away are his pet dogs. 394 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 1: I love that detail, And if I wanted to convince 395 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 1: you that Vasilis really is a Robin Hood, a good 396 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: guy with a gun, That's how I'd ended. The problem 397 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: is we can't because remember George Malonas, the rich guy 398 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: he kidnapped. Not far away from the safe house, Milonas 399 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: has an office, and on September fourth, two thousand and eight, 400 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: one month after Vasilis is arrested, just outside that office, 401 00:26:51,280 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: a bomb explodes Chapter five shells. The small bomb that 402 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: exploded outside Milonas's office in Thessaloniki did not hurt anyone 403 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: unless you're counting the small damage to the office door. 404 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:19,159 Speaker 1: But then about a week later, there's another attack of 405 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: fifteen people on motorcycles zoomed to the same part of 406 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: town and begin throwing molotov cocktails at a police station. 407 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: Two patrol cars erupted in flames. A terrorist group called 408 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei takes responsibility for both attacks, and 409 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: in two communicays they dedicate the attacks to Vasili's Palio Costas. 410 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,719 Speaker 5: We chose last night to set fire to the police 411 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 5: station in a signal of solidarity to Vasilis Palo Costas. 412 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 5: You'll soon hear more from us sodoors should like to 413 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 5: remind milon Maas that he owes US twenty million euros more. 414 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: Now this got our team wondering was Vasili's part of 415 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: this group? Were these his old cronies from jail or 416 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: were they just using his name to get attention, because 417 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 1: if so, it worked. 418 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 4: So the conspiracy of Fire Nuclai hit the streets earlier 419 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 4: that year in two thousand and eight, with a series 420 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 4: of arsons and bombings across the country. They targeted ATMs 421 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 4: and political offices. They also set fire to the French 422 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 4: Press Agency, the Public Power company, and various banks. In 423 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 4: one of their communitys, they described themselves as individual extremists 424 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 4: united by a cause. In fact, their motto is lone 425 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 4: wolves are not alone. Since then, they've been responsible for 426 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 4: at least sixty forty French attacks, most of their industries, 427 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 4: and one of the cells has praised Vasilis, looking to 428 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 4: him as an inspiration. 429 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: When the anti terrorist police squads arrested Vasilis, they saw 430 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 1: all this information and basically said, see, I told you so. 431 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: But we scoured the group's communicays and it's pretty evident 432 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: that Vasilis is not part of the group. They just 433 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: look up to him and they throw his name around 434 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: for clout, which is actually one of the more interesting 435 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: things about Vasilis Palyocostas. As he grew more and more famous, 436 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: more people started using his name to push their agendas. 437 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Anarco terrorists used his reputation in their communic case to 438 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: look tougher and to be taken seriously. The police used 439 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 1: his name for additional funding, and they used his capture 440 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: to boost their image and make themselves look tough on terror. 441 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: Villagers across the country embraced Vasilis as a way to 442 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: express their dissatisfaction with this state and back home. Vasilis's 443 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: deadbeat brother, Apastolis, used his brother's reputation to prop up 444 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: his cred around town. Apparently he used to go around 445 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 1: threatening people at bars, saying, yeah, I'm a Paliocosta's try 446 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: to mess with me. The point is, by the time 447 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: this bomb went off, Vasilis's name was big, so big 448 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: that people everywhere were co opting his name to bolster 449 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: their reputations. And if we had to guess, Vasilis didn't 450 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: like that, not one bit. Chapter six Identity theft. 451 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 2: Our team reached out to the Milanas family, hoping they'd 452 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 2: share their experience of the kidnapping, but they declined. And 453 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 2: not only did they decline, they gave us a warning 454 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 2: in an email. This is what Milon NASA's brother told us, 455 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 2: it's very taboo as a subject, very taboo. We don't 456 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 2: seem to understand the depth of the trauma. Always remember 457 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 2: that as journalists you are responsible for who you memorialize 458 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 2: and who you deify, and because it's the bad guys 459 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 2: that sell the most, we usually end up deifying the 460 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 2: wrong people. 461 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: The Malona's family is right. There are a million podcasts 462 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: about criminals, how many are really about good guys. But 463 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: that's also why we made this show. We're not on 464 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: the hunt for any old thief. We're on the hunt 465 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: for a good thief, and vasilis he's supposed to be that. 466 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: We were hoping his brother, Nicos noun retirement could provide 467 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: some answers. Maybe he could tell us how the pair 468 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: used to weigh the morality of their crimes, About the 469 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: things they refused to do in the name of being 470 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: good thieves, the times they felt like they'd triumphed and 471 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: the moments they were most scared, The ways they gave 472 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: away their money, and the little details, the philosophies they discussed, 473 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: the kung fu films they loved most, the best foods 474 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: for road trips. It's funny to think about the range 475 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: of questions we had for a man who used to 476 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: be inner polls most wanted. But as George and Christina 477 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: explained in our last episode, their first visit to his 478 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 1: house didn't go as planned. 479 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 4: The Underneath Fairs No No you Mind. 480 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 2: Back in September of twenty twenty two, Christina and I 481 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 2: found ourselves standing on the doorstep of Nikos by Lookostas's 482 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 2: house just outside of Tricola, but we didn't talk to him. 483 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 2: His sister stopped us at the gate and we asked 484 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 2: her to give Niicos a letter that we'd written, you know, 485 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 2: earlier on explaining who we were and what we wanted, 486 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 2: and at the bottom Christina had put her phone number, 487 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 2: and for the rest of the day we jumped every 488 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 2: time Christina got a notification. Of course, it was never him. 489 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 2: That evening we're trying to distract ourselves, were wandering around 490 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 2: trica La. It's very nice, but it's definitely changed since 491 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,320 Speaker 2: the Batto Costas brothers were hanging out shooting pool in 492 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,959 Speaker 2: the nineties. These days it's a model of urban technology. 493 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 2: There's free public Wi Fi. There's like this bike share 494 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 2: program and a citizen complaint app. Even these atm like 495 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 2: Kiosks where you can print off official documents. And the 496 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 2: city center's got pretty upscale too. 497 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 4: Have some very hip little bars. 498 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, we wanted to visit Sweeter, you know the bar 499 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 2: that Gosta Sammaras used to operate. We found it on 500 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 2: this block of like fancy boutiques and tap ass restaurants. 501 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:38,800 Speaker 2: We were in for a disappointment. 502 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 7: I don't know if it's going to be open. 503 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 4: I think it's going to be closed. 504 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 7: George, Ah, it looks like it's closed. 505 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's closed. 506 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 2: Yet another door we couldn't open. Honestly, the whole trip 507 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 2: was starting to feel like a failure. We were planning 508 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 2: to stop buying Nichols's house the next day, just in 509 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 2: case he read our letter, but we didn't really have 510 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 2: high hopes. And then we remembered something Costa Sammarasa told us. 511 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 2: He said, it's always the stubborn people who succeed. 512 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 7: Okay. 513 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,160 Speaker 4: The next morning we headed back to the Polo Costa's 514 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,400 Speaker 4: family home, and even though I knew it was unlikely 515 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 4: that we'd actually meet Nikos, as we got closer, I 516 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:33,760 Speaker 4: started to think, but what if we do? Stressed and scared, 517 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 4: but there's a part of me. That's like, why are 518 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 4: you afraid? It's not logical. 519 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 2: It's so logical, so long looking and hearing about these guys, 520 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 2: and then yesterday wasn't like I wasn't a warm welcome, So. 521 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 7: I think it's it makes sense to be a little bit. 522 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 4: When we talked to the police officers who gave us 523 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 4: this address, they laughed and said, you know, hey, maybe 524 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 4: you're going to see Nikos out in his terrace and 525 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 4: enjoying a coffee. We assumed they were joking, but when 526 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 4: we pulled up, this is exactly what happens. 527 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 2: Should we drive a little bit? 528 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 7: Oh fuck me? 529 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 2: Okay, that is actually. 530 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:22,280 Speaker 4: It's like three bats. 531 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 2: There's a woman and what looks like his dad. 532 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,719 Speaker 4: Oh my god, I'm should we just. 533 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 2: I was not expecting to see him and his mustache. 534 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 2: Oh no, okay, cold cool, cold call a. We're trying 535 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:42,920 Speaker 2: to stay composed. You know, it's not every day you 536 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:44,959 Speaker 2: came face to face with one of the world's most 537 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 2: wanted criminals, especially one who might know where by looks 538 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: us is hiding. We park on the street and walk 539 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 2: up to the house and Nichos is, you know, relaxing 540 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 2: on his porch, sitting back, arms outstretch, just leaning against 541 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 2: the wall. He's with this middle aged woman wearing a mask, 542 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 2: and his father is sitting on the balcony nearby. 543 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,680 Speaker 4: Nichos is in his sixties. He's slim but athletic, with 544 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:17,160 Speaker 4: a thick, dark mustache, and unlike his sister, he seems 545 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 4: completely at ease. When we introduce ourselves with something, let 546 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:30,680 Speaker 4: me give a, Nichos has a gentle smile. He's very polite, 547 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 4: in a soft voice. He tells us that yes, he 548 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:40,240 Speaker 4: did read our letter, and while he's still not interested 549 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 4: in talking. 550 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:45,279 Speaker 2: We tried to push back. We named Costa Sammaras and 551 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 2: we tell Nikosa after our most recent interview some arras 552 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: that asks us to give Nikos his phone number so 553 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:51,280 Speaker 2: he could reunite with his old friend. 554 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 4: So we offer Nikos the artist's phone number, and it's 555 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 4: kind of funny. He just shakes his head to very 556 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 4: and says, if I want to get in touch, I 557 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 4: know how. He smiles again, and although he never looks 558 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,920 Speaker 4: angry or even irritated, it's clear that he's done talking. 559 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,120 Speaker 4: So we say goodbye and we walk back to the car, 560 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 4: and suddenly we both feel like we kind of understand 561 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 4: the man's mystique. 562 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:25,920 Speaker 2: But obviously, you know, at the same time, we're pretty disappointed. 563 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:29,319 Speaker 2: After a year of research and reporting, the brothers have 564 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 2: achieved an almost mythological status in our minds. Seeing Nichos 565 00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 2: face to face. 566 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: That little smile, I think he's done with. 567 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 2: He's finished man, He's just enjoying his life. He looks 568 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 2: at the story of Nichols Paalokostas. It's larger than life. 569 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 2: It's one of car chases and prison breaks and you know, 570 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 2: police investigations. But here was the actual person, just like 571 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,240 Speaker 2: a normal man doing a normal thing with his family, 572 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 2: having a coffee on the veranda. It's a scene that 573 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,799 Speaker 2: goes on in towns and villages across Greece. You know, 574 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:11,720 Speaker 2: every single day you could have been anywhere. He wasn't 575 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 2: an abstraction anymore. He wasn't a mythical folk figure either. 576 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: Over the last year we'd talked to police chiefs and wardens, 577 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: villagers and prime ministers. We'd tracked Vasilis's story across the 578 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:35,440 Speaker 1: country and met his mentor, and we'd pinned so much 579 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:38,000 Speaker 1: hope on the fact we'd finally gotten a chance to 580 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: meet his brother that we could press our luck and 581 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: get him to speak, but it just didn't work out 582 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:47,000 Speaker 1: that way. So in the final weeks of twenty twenty two, 583 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:50,680 Speaker 1: our whole team was writing and editing scripts, trying to 584 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: close the chapter on this show. But then on December tenth, 585 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: Daphne sends a message to our team's WhatsApp. It's an 586 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: article in the Athens Voice. It says that in a 587 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:07,520 Speaker 1: small mountain town west of Trika, La, police had come 588 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 1: across a BMW with no license plates. When they approached 589 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 1: the car, they were greeted with machine gun fire AK 590 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,479 Speaker 1: forty seven's to be exact, and then the car sped off, 591 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:24,239 Speaker 1: disappearing into the mountains. After years of no signs of life. 592 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:30,920 Speaker 1: There's one name on everyone's lips. It's Vasili's Paliogostis, and 593 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: we realize there's one more reporting trip we need to make. 594 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 1: Niko the Good Thief is a Kaleidoscope production in partnership 595 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,200 Speaker 1: with iHeart Podcasts. It's hosted by me Miles Gray. Our 596 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: executive producers our Mangesh Htikutor Costaslinos Ozwalishan, and Kate Osborne 597 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 1: from iHeart. Executive producers are Katrina Norvel and Nikki Etor 598 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:03,320 Speaker 1: our partners at the Greek Podcast Project, Our executive producer 599 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:08,520 Speaker 1: Daphne Carnesis, field producers Christina Pilioni and George Miadis, and 600 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:14,000 Speaker 1: sound designer Nicos Scavinitis. Mary Phillips Sandy is our supervising producer. 601 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,400 Speaker 1: Shane McKeon is our producer. The show is written in 602 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,840 Speaker 1: research by Lucas Riley, fact checking by Donia Suleman, sound 603 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:25,680 Speaker 1: design and mix by Pran Bandy. This episode featured the 604 00:40:25,719 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: voices of Yorgos Caramijos, George I, Valiotis, Nicos Kucas and 605 00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 1: Constantinos Pano. Our theme song is by imam Baldi, with 606 00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:40,920 Speaker 1: additional music by Botany. Finally, thanks to Will Pearson Connell Byrne, 607 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:43,319 Speaker 1: Bob Pittman and John Marynapolis