The mother of alleged Sydney fugitive James Dalamangas has spoken publicly following her son’s arrest in Greece, claiming the family has endured years of fear, threats and trauma since the death of another son in Australia in 1998.
Dalamangas, 56, was arrested in Aigio in the Peloponnese region and is now fighting extradition to Australia over the alleged 1999 murder of Sydney man George Giannopoulos.
Australian authorities allege Giannopoulos was fatally stabbed outside the Pariziana nightclub in Belmore on Anzac Day in 1999 before Dalamangas fled the country shortly afterwards.
The Commander of the Aigialeia Crime Investigation and Detection Division, Iordanis Magerakis, previously told The Greek Herald that Greek police tracked down Dalamangas after receiving crucial information from Australian authorities.
Authorities allege he had been living under the false identity “Antonis Tzimas” for years and was known locally as a quiet olive farmer.
Greek police reportedly placed the rural property under surveillance before arresting him as he left with family members. Reports also claim his father and long-term partner were detained for allegedly harbouring a fugitive.
A further twist emerged after Greek media reported that Dalamangas’ mother had allegedly provided police with her son’s full name and Australian identifying details during a domestic violence complaint lodged in 2014. However, the matter was reportedly not pursued for several years.
Appearing before a court in Patras earlier this week wearing a bulletproof vest, Dalamangas reportedly denied the allegations and later told journalists outside court that the case against him was a “set up.”
His lawyer, Nikos Apostolopoulos, said his client “denies the alleged act attributed to him,” while arguing the matter is time-barred under Greek law and that Dalamangas wishes to be tried in Greece.
As he left court, Dalamangas shouted: “Justice for Peter Dalamangas,” referring to his younger brother, Panagiotis, who died following an incident involving security guards at Sydney’s Star City Casino in 1998.
Speaking to Greek media after the arrest, Dalamangas’ mother described her shock at seeing her son in handcuffs.
“My son, I don’t know what happened, yesterday he came here and they had handcuffs on him and I was shocked,” she said. “I say ‘What happened to you? What happened?’”
She said her son attempted to reassure her, telling her: “It’s a process, it will be sorted out, calm down.”
Dalamangas’ mother also alleged the family had faced multiple threats following the death of Panagiotis.
“I experienced 3 assassination attempts on James after the death of my Panagiotis. They came to kill me too. I fought in the courts,” she claimed.
She further alleged her son acted in self-defence in the Giannopoulos case.
“We learned that he was a thug in a criminal organisation and they had paid him to kill my child so that he would stop fighting for justice for my Panagiotis,” she alleged.
The Greek Herald previously revealed police allegedly found a bow above Dalamangas’ bed and several daggers during a search of the property in Aigio, while large dogs on the premises reportedly complicated the operation.
The Australian Federal Police renewed a $200,000 reward for information leading to Dalamangas’ arrest in 2024 and released an age-progressed image as part of ongoing international efforts to locate him.
Greek courts are expected to decide in the coming weeks whether Dalamangas will be extradited to Australia.
