Perry (Perikles) Kouroumblis, a suspect in the infamous Easey Street murders, was apparently drawn to Rome for a potential property deal before being apprehended, according to his family.
As reported by The Age, Kouroumblis’ brother Andreas, who resides with Perry in Athens, asserted that Perry did not travel to Italy for tourism.
“I can only say it was a trap,” Andreas stated.
Another brother, Tony Kouroumblis, based in Melbourne, corroborated that Perry had been contacted by a Greek-Australian investor interested in purchasing one of the family’s properties in Greece. According to Tony the investor had invited Perry to Rome to negotiate the deal.
“He met him around three months ago and arranged for him to go to Italy,” Tony said. “It was a complete setup.”
The identity of the investor remains unconfirmed. Italian border authorities reported that Perry, 65, was traveling alone when arrested at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on September 19.
Victoria Police declined to confirm any involvement in a potential scheme to lure Kouroumblis to Rome. A police spokesperson commented, “A 65-year-old dual Australian and Greek citizen was arrested at an airport in Rome by local authorities on Thursday evening, 19 September. A charge and warrant were in place for his arrest. The man remains in custody, and Victoria Police will now pursue his extradition.”
Fiumicino Airport’s Chief Commissioner Fernando Speziali disclosed that police began monitoring incoming flights after receiving an Interpol alert from Australian authorities on September 18.
“We started tracking all flights from Greece,” Speziali said. Upon Kouroumblis’ arrival, officers identified him based on information provided by Australian officials.
“He claimed to be in Rome for tourism,” Speziali mentioned. Kouroumblis reportedly remained passive during the arrest, neither cooperating nor resisting.
Kouroumblis, who holds dual citizenship, has been transferred to Regina Coeli prison, awaiting extradition to Australia. He told a court in Rome that he would not oppose the extradition request.
Having left Australia in 2017 after being approached by cold-case detectives investigating the 1977 murders of Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett, Kouroumblis has consistently denied involvement in the killings. No charges have been filed in connection with the murders.
Due to Greece’s statute of limitations, which requires charges to be filed within 20 years of an alleged crime, Kouroumblis could not be extradited from Greece. However, Italy does not have the same legal constraints, allowing for his arrest.
Serena Tucci, Kouroumblis’ court-appointed attorney, confirmed that her client maintained he was in Italy for “professional, work-related reasons.” She added that he was struggling with his detention, particularly since he does not speak Italian and lacks family support in Rome.
Kouroumblis is currently held in one of Italy’s most notorious prisons, Regina Coeli, where recent riots erupted. Kouroumblis had not been directly affected by the unrest but is reliant on volunteers for essentials such as clothing.
Victorian authorities now have 45 days from Kouroumblis’ arrest to submit an extradition application. Homicide detectives plan to travel to Rome to facilitate the process, which may see Kouroumblis returned to Australia by November.
The Italian Ministry of Justice has so far declined to comment on the case.
