Greek-American entrepreneur Christos Marafatsos, a prominent figure in U.S. real estate development and Republican political circles, is currently in Greece, where he recently held a noteworthy meeting with the leadership of the Vassiliadis Group of Companies (V Group). Marafatsos, a partner in the American real estate and advisory firms Milos Development and Apollo Development, has long been recognized as an influential member of the Greek-American diaspora and a consistent supporter of Donald Trump, having backed the former president in all three of his election campaigns.
Because of his close alignment with the Republican Party and his reported connections to Trump-aligned political figures, Marafatsos is widely perceived to have access to influential decision-makers in Washington. Among those in his network is Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former television personality and senior Trump campaign advisor who was recently appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Greece. His presence in the country has drawn attention, not only because of his political affiliations but also due to the growing interest in U.S.-Greece business and diplomatic relations.
While it is not confirmed whether Marafatsos visited his family’s places of origin—Sparta in the Peloponnese and Kardamyla on the island of Chios—his itinerary did include a meeting in Athens with Vyron Vassiliadis, head of V Group and husband of Erietta Kourkoulou-Latsi, heiress of one of Greece’s most prominent shipping dynasties.
According to those familiar with the meeting, the two men discussed a range of topics, including the current state of U.S.-Greece bilateral relations, V Group’s involvement in environmental and waste management services, and broader trends in the shipping and maritime sectors—an industry in which Greece holds a global leadership position. The tone of the meeting was described as warm and constructive, although no official announcements were made regarding future collaboration.
