Greece’s Economic Prosecutor has initiated a formal investigation into the activities of communications firms V+O and Blue Skies, amid mounting allegations that they played a central role in covertly funding a digital propaganda network benefiting the country’s ruling party.
The inquiry follows a wave of recent revelations, including investigative reporting and political outcry, surrounding the so-called “Truth Team”—a shadowy media operation accused of promoting pro-government messaging and attacking critics of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his party, New Democracy.
At the center of the probe are Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympios, co-owners of both Blue Skies S.A. and the V+O Group, a major Greek public relations agency, 70% of which was acquired by multinational firm SEC Newgate. Blue Skies is alleged to have been the financial engine behind the Truth Team, employing individuals closely aligned with the ruling party—some of whom later held official posts in the Prime Minister’s Office and other government departments.
Focus on Financial Irregularities
According to reports, the Economic Police have contacted clients of both V+O and Blue Skies, seeking detailed records of their business relationships. The investigation is currently focused on potential financial misconduct, including tax evasion, fictitious transactions, and money laundering. However, sources close to the inquiry indicate that prosecutors may later expand their scope to include violations of political finance laws.
A Network with Political Reach
The Truth Team is reported to have been formed in 2018 as an unofficial online unit, actively defending the Mitsotakis government and discrediting political opponents. Investigations by the independent Greek outlet Inside Story revealed that the team operated with the support of Blue Skies and involved figures with revolving roles between party communication positions and state posts.
These include individuals such as Orsaki Roussetou—formerly in the Prime Minister’s Office and a known target of Predator spyware surveillance—as well as Giorgos Tzanoudakis and Christos Tzelis, both of whom have ties to firms receiving government contracts.
Critics argue that this arrangement blurred the line between state communications and partisan propaganda, raising serious concerns about the use of public and private resources to manipulate public opinion and discredit opposition voices.
SYRIZA Demands Full Judicial Investigation
The scandal has reignited controversy following a request on 6 May by opposition party SYRIZA for a judicial inquiry into Team Truth and funding by Blue Skies. SYRIZA leader Socrates Famellos filed a formal complaint with judicial authorities, claiming that the operations of Team Truth constituted illegal propaganda funding using both public and private money. He stated that such practices, if proven, violate Greece’s political finance legislation .
Ο πρόεδρος του ΠΑΣΟΚ ΚΙΝΑΛ Νίκος Ανδρουλάκης (Α) και ο πρόεδρος του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ ΠΣ Σωκράτης Φάμελλος (2Δ), παρακολουθούν ομιλίες κατά τη διάρκεια της δεύτερης μέρας της συζήτησης και ψήφισης επί της αρχής, των άρθρων και του συνόλου του σχεδίου νόμου του Υπουργείου Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης «Ενσωμάτωση της Οδηγίας (Ε.Ε.) 2022/2041 του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και του Συμβουλίου της 19ης Οκτωβρίου 2022 για επαρκείς κατώτατους μισθούς στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση – Αναπροσαρμογή μισθών προσωπικού δημοσίου τομέα – Ρυθμίσεις για τον καθορισμό κατώτατου μισθού για τα έτη 2025, 2026 και 2027», Πέμπτη 5 Δεκεμβρίου 2024. ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ/ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ/ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΒΙΤΣΑΡΑΣ
Famellos also notified the Anti-Money Laundering Authority and lodged related inquiries in Parliament. He emphasized the democratic necessity of transparency in party communications and campaign financing.
Government Response
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis has denied any wrongdoing, defending the right of private citizens to fund communications efforts. Speaking earlier this year at the Delphi Economic Forum, Marinakis confirmed that the Truth Team was paid by a private company linked to Varvitsiotis and Olympios, adding dismissively, “A private individual received payment from other private individuals, and for some people this is a horrifying revelation.”
Στιγμιότυπο από την τέταρτη ημέρα εργασιών του 10ου Οικονομικού Φόρουμ των Δελφών, Σάββατο 12 Απριλίου 2025.
(ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΠΑΝΑΓΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ/EUROKINISSI) // ΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΕΤΑΙ ΚΑΘΕ ΧΡΗΣΗ ΑΡΧΕΙΟΘΕΤΗΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΝΟΜΗ ΤΗΣ ΦΩΤΟΓΡΑΦΙΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΠΡΑΚΤΟΡΕΙΑ)
Despite those denials, the allegations have drawn renewed scrutiny due to claims that individuals tied to the Truth Team targeted political opponents and even the families of victims of the 2023 Tempi train disaster.
