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A new and unexpected twist has emerged in the espionage case that has shaken Greece’s armed forces, following the arrest of a top-ranking Air Force officer accused of selling state secrets.
Investigators now believe the officer was not acting alone, and that the person who recruited him and may sit higher up in the spy network is a woman with no ties to the military.
Greek authorities say the suspected espionage ring appears to operate like a pyramid. While the arrested Air Force officer is facing military justice, officials believe he was not at the top of the chain. Instead, they are searching for a so-called “shadow figure” who allegedly lured him into the operation and acted as a key link between him and foreign intelligence.
According to exclusive reporting by ERTnews, that shadow figure is believed to be a woman. She is not a member of the armed forces and is thought to play a senior role within the network.
Investigators say the woman was present at a 2025 meeting in Athens, where the Greek officer met face-to-face with a Chinese intelligence agent. Authorities from the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and the National Intelligence Service reportedly have photographs showing the woman alongside the alleged agent.
Officials are now examining whether she was the one who initially approached the officer, how she gained his trust, and when she established contact with the Chinese operative.
Adding another layer of complexity to the case, ERTnews reports that the Chinese agent’s surname is not Chinese but American, a detail that has raised further questions about his true identity and background.
Meetings, money and encrypted phones
Authorities are said to have documented at least two meetings in central Athens in 2025 between the 54-year-old Air Force colonel and the alleged Chinese agent, held at well-known venues in the city center.
Investigators are looking into whether classified information was exchanged during those meetings. According to sources, a third person, believed to be the same woman, was present on both occasions and is considered a more significant figure in the espionage operation than the officer himself.
The Chinese agent, believed to be between 40 and 45 years old, had reportedly attended a conference in another NATO country before making a brief stop in Athens, during which one of the meetings took place.
Payments were allegedly made through an encrypted application installed on a separate “shadow” mobile phone, a Samsung device used exclusively for covert communication. The amounts reportedly ranged from €5,000 to €15,000 per month or per quarter, depending on the sensitivity of the information.
The investigation remains ongoing.
