Total length: 8 minutes 21 seconds
The text below is a transcription of the dialogue as seen and heard in the video posted on January 8, 2026, by ‘Emily Thompson’ on X. Politis does not have access to the original, unedited footage. It does not claim accuracy of the content. Nor can it confirm that this is an accurate transcription of the dialogues that took place between the three individuals and the ‘investors’ in the order that they occured.
START
Heading
CORRUPTION IN CYPRUS
Subheading
CHRISTODOULIDES’ CRONY CAPITALISM
Title
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS Nikos Christodoulides
NARRATOR
He burst onto the presidential scene in 2023 promising to root out corruption after the last government.
Two years later the worst fears of Cypriot citizens have now been confirmed.
He hasn’t thrown out the old corrupt methods, they’ve simply evolved.
Title
GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS, FORMER MINISTER OF ENERGY, COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
OFF CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (fuzzy audio)
Then in 2018, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs.
But more importantly, we are very good friends.
He calls me frequently.
He trusts me, which is very important.
So...
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
I was one of the first people who supported him when he started his campaign.
NARRATOR
He funded his campaign with illegal cash – disguised as ‘donations’ – to bypass the one-million-euro limit.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
In the elections, they have a cap of about one million. Right, in the Presidential elections.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
So sometimes, they have to depend on cash, to be able to go above that budget.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
He has a cap of one million for his campaign.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
You know, it has to be cash, so they go there with cash. And they spend the money in cash. This, what im telling you, this is in cash.
NARRATOR
When the President needs cash, he calls his chief of staff, his brother-in-law.
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from neck to waist)
[Inaudible] the President. We will build, for sure, a relationship with him. But the President trusts him. He entrusted him with financials, during the campaign. So, very, very sensitive stuff. He’s his Chief of Staff.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
Cash to who?
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from neck to waist)
To his campaign manager…
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
They give envelope to the campaign manager?
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from neck to waist)
And they pay, instead of money transfer.
Title
CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OFF CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS
Lakkotrypis it’s like talking with us. George is a…
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
Is a very good friend of the President. He gets advice. The President advises George a lot.
NARRATOR
The mechanism works like this. The Chief of Staff uses his connections to find groups willing to pay cash for special treatment. Money for favours, influence and access.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
We are the main, the two contacts here in… at the Palace… next to the President.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS
(Online meeting)
Decide what you want to do exactly. And then you can come to the President and you can offer. Im telling you, off the record now, George.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
Yes.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
Off the record.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
You can come and say OK we want to do this business. And we have this amount also for, of money, to go to, for CSR [Corporate Social Responsibility] purposes.
For example, the other day, im going to tell you just a small example. The other day, an American, he has very good ties with the country. He wanted to make a contribution to the government, to the country of 500,000.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
Absolutely. I was thinking maybe we can do this at the presence of the President if you want.
UNKNOWN VOICE - (not distorted)
Yeah.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS
(Online meeting)
I mean, it’s… we can arrange a visit and you come to Cyprus. And we discuss it also, maybe the President has something to propose. We can do, though, a preparation.
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
If you go through the procedure with George, let’s say…
OFF CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS
Start working on the applications and you face an issue, give me a call and I will call them
ON CAMERA: CHARALAMBOS CHARALAMBOUS - (Online meeting)
…to prioritise it.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
This mechanism you describe was used also in the last election? You know it’s working? [Inaudible]
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from chin to chest)
Sorry, what?
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
The donation for the campaign. For the previous campaign. The first campaign.
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from chin to chest)
Yes.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
This is how it works?
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from chin to chest)
This is exactly how it worked.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
What I’m trying to say is [inaudible], for someone like Nikos who doesn’t have a party behind him, it’s not easy for them to, to find the money. So this is why Charalambos told me, look, when the time comes, OK, we will need money in the campaign. We will need help in the campaign.
NARRATOR
He provides assistance to oligarchs under EU sanctions in exchange for substantial payments.
OFF CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (fuzzy audio)
The pharma company, between you and I, had a bigger issue.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
The main work I do with them is that their holding company, LetterOne, has two sanctioned individuals.
OFF CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (very fuzzy audio)
They had Fridman and Aven, as two of their shareholders. And the third one is Ko..Kolshgov (sic). So Fridman and Aven are sanctioned.. they found a way …The Russians… The Russian oligarchs…
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
Besides all the other things that I work with Remedica with, I also make sure that Cyprus puts a firm stance in EU for this third guy not to be sanctioned.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
How do you do that?
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
I speak to the President…
NARRATOR
The mechanism is the same. Large sums of cash flow to the government. In return for a firm government stance in the EU against sanctions on the oligarchs.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting at table)
Remedica, the pharmaceutical company, donated after my advice €75,000 to the Presidential Palace.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting at table)
They got the attention of the President because they…
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on table)
I arranged the call between the chairman and the President. The chairman told him, look Mr President we will donate 75,000…
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
You mentioned that you had this [inaudible] with the pharma company
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
Yes
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
They had these problems with local staff etc [inaudible]
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
They issued the permit in one week, two weeks.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
[Inaudible ] When they came to the president… the bureaucracy was still there?
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting on couch)
Yeah. The president says, ‘I want this done.’
Title
GEORGIOS CHRYOCHOS CEO AT CYFIELD
NARRATOR
This mechanism is being actively used by major companies like Cyfield, Cyprus’ leading construction company.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
This gives you an opportunity to talk to the… Christodoulides and…
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
I can talk to him freely, I mean, I see him every two weeks, I see him.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
You, you hang out? You…
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
Not in public.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
OK.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
Because otherwise they will say, ‘Ah, that’s why he’s helping him,’ you know? But if I call him right now, he will answer.
No, I mean, the relationship is one of the biggest assets we have.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
… every day communication. Let’s see what we… is like my girlfriend.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
We brought this project to completion in March by going office to office, government authority to government authority, pulling the right strings.
NARRATOR
The first lady receives bribes, disguised as donations for favours.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting at table)
In the meantime, we support the Presidency with their projects. Until the presidential… we wait.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
How do we do that?
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting at table)
We speak to the President. We speak to the First Lady.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting at table)
She’s getting funding for her projects. So what im trying to say is we go to her office, make the introduction. This is after the meeting with the President. You meet the First Lady. If the President has projects, we help. Otherwise she does the… all of the...
OFF CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS
She sent me a letter…
PARTIALLY ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS LAKKOTRYPIS - (blurry shot, fuzzy audio – sitting, visible from chin to chest)
A couple of months ago. They’re starting a new cycle now. So if, in September, maybe it’s a good time if you… if you can contribute.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
Every time she holds an event to raise money, I’m there.
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
His wife can’t use this channel of donation or whatever?
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS
(clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
She’s using, yes. all the times, to get support,
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
You should always be under the…
OFF CAMERA: ‘INVESTOR’ - (heavily distorted voice)
Radar
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
…of publicity, right? So, we gave her 10,000 every year. It’s not much, but we support other initiatives as well. I have to pay, I say, 250,000 every year on donations.
ON CAMERA: GEORGIOS CHRYSOCHOS - (clear shot & audio – sitting at table)
Every time the government is hosting a philanthropy event, the President, I am there.
NARRATOR
The promises to root out corruption in Cyprus were broken. He used illegal cash to fund his first campaign, and is now doing the same in preparation for the next presidential election. Crony capitalism hasn’t gone anywhere.
END