Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Obstructing Federal Hate Crimes Investigation

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man, who was extradited from Stockholm, Sweden, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for obstructing an investigation of fires set at Jewish institutions in Arlington, Needham and Chelsea, Mass., in May 2019.  

Alexander Giannakakis, 37, formerly of Quincy, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 42 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2024, Giannakakis pleaded guilty to concealing records in a federal investigation; tampering with documents and objects; and tampering with an official proceeding. In February 2022, Giannakakis was indicted by a federal grand jury. In February 2024 he was extradited to the United States from Sweden.

“Rather than assist authorities, Alexander Giannakakis chose instead to impede the FBI’s investigation by lying to investigators and destroying and concealing evidence,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Obstructing law enforcement is a serious crime that can embolden individuals to continue criminal behavior, sometimes with serious or even deadly consequences. Today’s sentence leaves no room for doubt, that this type of deceit and obstruction will not be tolerated.”

"With today’s sentence, Alexander Giannakakis learned the hard way that the family ties that bind you together can also land you in federal prison,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Giannakakis destroyed evidence and obstructed the FBI’s investigation into his brother’s acts of domestic terrorism that sent shockwaves of fear throughout the Jewish community. Instead of doing what was right and calling out his brother’s vile conduct, Mr. Giannakakis tried to cover for him. Anyone who thinks they can lie to us and get away with it, should think twice. The FBI can’t properly carry out investigations, if the people we interview think they can deceive us without consequence.”

In approximately February 2020, Giannakakis’ younger brother became the prime suspect in an investigation into four fires set at Jewish institutions in the Boston area: the first during the evening of May 11, 2019 at a Chabad Center in Arlington; the second at the same location during the evening of May 16, 2019; the third at a Chabad Center in Needham; and the fourth during the evening of May 26, 2019, at a Jewish-affiliated business in Chelsea. At the time Giannakakis’ brother was identified as a suspect, he was hospitalized in a coma. He remained in a coma until his death later that year.

Shortly after his brother was identified as a suspect, Giannakakis left the United States for Sweden, where he was living at the time, with his brother’s electronic devices and documents. According to court documents, when Giannakakis returned to the U.S. in March 2020, he was questioned by investigators about his brother’s involvement in the arsons and made false and misleading statements. He later concealed and destroyed physical evidence being sought by investigators that implicated his brother in the arsons. Within hours of concealing and destroying that evidence, Giannakakis fled the United States for Sweden. Giannakakis remained in Sweden until his arrest by Swedish authorities in February 2022.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Chief Juliann Flaherty of the Arlington Police Department; Chief John Schlittler of the Needham Police Department; and Chief Keith E. Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Substantial assistance was provided by Swedish authorities. Additional assistance was provided by the Quincy Massachusetts Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance to secure the arrest and extradition from Sweden of Giannakakis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case.