Bean Town Times

A Massachusetts man has admitted to obstructing a federal investigation into fires at Jewish institutions in Arlington, Needham, and Chelsea, Massachusetts, in May 2019. Alexander Giannakakis, 37, previously from Quincy, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to charges including concealing records in a federal investigation and tampering with documents. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris has set his sentencing for March 11, 2025.

In February 2022, Giannakakis was indicted by a federal grand jury and extradited from Sweden to the United States in February 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy stated: "This defendant obstructed justice about hate crimes directed at Jewish people living in greater Boston... Alexander Giannakakis chose to destroy evidence and conceal these hate crimes and for deciding to stand on the side of acts of vile Antisemitism, he now stands convicted and awaiting sentencing."

Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, emphasized the seriousness of the conviction: "Today’s conviction shows that there will be serious ramifications for anyone who seeks to obstruct an FBI investigation into an act of domestic terrorism."

Giannakakis' younger brother became a prime suspect in four fires at Jewish-related institutions around Boston in February 2020 but was hospitalized in a coma until his death later that year. Shortly after his brother was identified as a suspect, Giannakakis left for Sweden with his brother's electronic devices and documents. He later returned to the U.S., where he made false statements to investigators and destroyed evidence before fleeing back to Sweden.

The charges against Giannakakis carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison per charge, along with supervised release and fines. The case involved cooperation between various law enforcement agencies including Swedish authorities.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen; Chief Juliann Flaherty of the Arlington Police Department; Chief John Schlittler of the Needham Police Department; and Chief Keith E. Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department announced the plea today. Substantial assistance came from Swedish authorities as well as local Massachusetts law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and John McNeil are prosecuting the case under the Office’s National Security Unit.