Full Breakdown
Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Diplomatic Activities Tied to Lobbyist Christos Marafatsos
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has repeatedly been accompanied by Christos Marafatsos, a 39-year-old registered lobbyist for the Greek gas firm Aktor Group. Marafatsos has appeared at high-level meetings across the Balkans—including in Greece, Bulgaria and at an international energy conference in Thessaloniki—often sitting beside the ambassador as if he were a senior aide. Aktor has paid Marafatsos $160,000 through June to “establish connections” with senior U.S. officials, and he has reported more than $440,000 in lobbying income over nine months.
Background & Context
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News personality and longtime Trump ally, was appointed ambassador to Greece after President Donald Trump announced her nomination in December 2025. Since arriving in Athens in the fall of 2025, she has championed a “vertical gas corridor” that would bring U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) into Greece and onward to Ukraine and other southeastern European nations, positioning the effort as a strategy to reduce regional reliance on Russian energy.
Aktor Group, a newcomer to the gas sector that recently formed a joint venture with state-backed DEPA called Atlantic-SEE LNG, has been seeking to expand its footprint in the region. The company secured a proposed $6 billion gas deal with Albania, which would supply the country through 2050 if finalized.
Data & Statistics
- Lobbying payments: $160,000 paid to Marafatsos by Aktor through June 2026.
- Total lobbying income: Over $440,000 reported by Marafatsos in a nine-month period.
- Proposed contracts: Aktor’s joint venture has signed memorandums with firms in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania; a $6 billion Albanian deal is under negotiation.
- Diplomatic travel: Guilfoyle flew to Bulgaria on a private jet provided by Aktor’s CEO and attended multiple meetings in Greece, Bulgaria and at the Thessaloniki conference.
Official Statements & Responses
- **U.S.
- Guilfoyle’s lawyer Jesse Binnall: Stated that the ambassador has worked with many energy companies and that her official meetings are arranged through embassy channels, not through Marafatsos.
- Aktor’s legal team: Asserted that the company’s involvement in the vertical corridor began before any contact with the ambassador and rejected claims that Guilfoyle improperly promoted Aktor.
Criticism & Opposition
- Unnamed attendees reported that Marafatsos did not disclose his lobbying relationship with Aktor during meetings, raising concerns about transparency.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- U.S. Embassy position: Affirms compliance with State Department guidance and frames the ambassador’s activities as advancing U.S. energy policy.
- Critics’ position: Emphasize the lack of disclosure and the potential for private interests to influence diplomatic engagements.
The article does not provide definitive evidence that Guilfoyle violated any regulations, nor does it confirm that Aktor’s deals will materialize; the status of negotiations—such as the halted talks with Ukraine’s state-owned gas company—remains uncertain.
What’s Next
The ambassador is scheduled to address officials from nine countries at the upcoming Thessaloniki energy conference, where she is expected to continue promoting U.S. LNG initiatives. No further official actions regarding Marafatsos’s role have been announced.