Mystery Man Attends Guilfoyle's European Energy Deal Meetings

A private businessman and registered lobbyist has been a near-constant attendee at high-level meetings involving Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, as she promotes multibillion-dollar American energy deals across Europe. Christos Marafatsos, 39, has been present at numerous meetings with foreign officials, leading some to mistake him for a member of Guilfoyle's diplomatic staff.

Marafatsos is a private businessman and lobbyist for Aktor Group, a Greek construction giant. Guilfoyle has repeatedly promoted this company while encouraging European nations to transition away from Russian energy and import American liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to The Wall Street Journal. His frequent appearances have raised questions about the intersection of diplomacy, politics, and business.

Guilfoyle, who arrived in Athens last fall, has taken on a significant diplomatic role, traveling through the Balkans to advocate for a "vertical gas corridor" intended to channel U.S. LNG into Greece and onward to Ukraine. The Journal reports that she has also actively promoted Aktor, which has partnered with the Greek state-backed energy company DEPA. During a visit to Bulgaria, Guilfoyle reportedly suggested to government officials that they should work with Aktor.

Marafatsos was notably present during an audience with Bulgaria's president, sitting alongside Guilfoyle. This occurred after Aktor's CEO had reportedly flown Guilfoyle into the country on a private jet. Several individuals, including government officials who attended meetings with Guilfoyle and Marafatsos, told the Journal that Marafatsos did not disclose his professional relationship with Aktor. Earlier this month, Marafatsos was observed arriving with Guilfoyle at an international energy conference in Thessaloniki, traveling in a vehicle within the U.S. diplomatic convoy.

Marafatsos' background includes co-founding a produce distributor and involvement in ventures such as real estate consulting. His lobbying career is relatively recent; he registered to lobby for Aktor in November, shortly after Guilfoyle's arrival in Athens, according to federal records cited by the Journal. Aktor has paid him $160,000 through June to facilitate connections with U.S. government entities, including the Executive Office of the President, the State Department, and the Energy Department. He has since expanded his client roster to include three other Greece-linked businesses, reporting over $440,000 in U.S. lobbying income within nine months.

Former U.S. officials have expressed concerns. Robin Brooks, a former National Security Council director, described the promotion of a foreign company by an American ambassador as "absolutely problematic" and noted that bringing a registered lobbyist into official meetings "calls into question whether the meeting is advancing American interests or advancing some sort of private interest."

The U.S. Embassy maintains that Guilfoyle's travel to Bulgaria was aimed at "advancing American interests: increasing sales of U.S. LNG to European partners and decreasing European dependence on Russian gas," and stated she is in "full compliance with State Department guidance." Guilfoyle's lawyer, Jesse Binnall, asserted that she has engaged with various energy industry companies and that her official meetings are coordinated through embassy channels, not Marafatsos. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Guilfoyle as an "incredibly effective advocate for the President's agenda."

Marafatsos stated he is "proud to champion commercial initiatives that advance U.S. interests and create lasting economic opportunity in Greece and Southeastern Europe." Lawyers for Aktor rejected claims of improper promotion, asserting the company's involvement in the energy corridor predates any contact with the ambassador.

Despite controversies, Aktor's joint venture, Atlantic-SEE LNG, has secured agreements and memorandums with companies in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania. Guilfoyle also reportedly assisted Aktor in securing a proposed $6 billion deal in Albania for gas purchases until 2050, though negotiations over future purchases with Ukraine's state-owned gas company have reportedly halted.

Marafatsos' connection to the Trump political orbit extends back to Trump's first presidential campaign. He reportedly assisted Guilfoyle in preparing for her Senate confirmation hearing, attended her swearing-in, and became a close advisor. President Donald Trump himself publicly acknowledged Marafatsos at a White House event, calling him a "good looking guy."

Guilfoyle's appointment as ambassador followed her public separation from Donald Trump Jr., with whom she had been in a relationship during Trump's first term. She has embraced her role in Greece, balancing official duties with social events. However, Marafatsos has increasingly been the figure observed by her side, with Guilfoyle reportedly introducing him simply as "Christos" and directing follow-ups to him after meetings. One investor recounted surprise at later discovering Marafatsos' affiliation with Aktor, as it was not disclosed during their meeting.