Man extradited from Sweden to face obstruction charges in arson case targeting Jewish organizations

BOSTON (AP) — The brother of man suspected in four arsons involving Jewish institutions in the Boston area in 2019 has been extradited from Sweden to face charges alleging that he obstructed the investigation, federal prosecutors said Sunday.

Alexander Giannakakis, 37, formerly of Quincy, worked in security at the U.S. embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, when he was arrested by Swedish authorities in 2022. He has been awaiting extradition proceedings, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston.

Giannakakis arrived in Boston Friday and is scheduled to appear in federal court Monday afternoon, the U.S. attorney’s office said. He has not yet named or been appointed an attorney, according to online case records. A online database search for people with the last name Giannakakis in Massachusetts turned up a listing for an Alexander, but no phone number was available.

Alexander Giannakakis’ brother was hospitalized in a coma at the time he was identified as a suspect in February 2020 and he died that year. Federal authorities did not name him.

Alexander Giannakakis was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in 2019 on charges of making false statements in a matter involving domestic terrorism; falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact in a matter involving domestic terrorism; concealing records in a federal investigation; tampering with documents and objects; and tampering with an official proceeding

In connection with his arrest in Sweden, Giannakakis was convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm and other weapons. He served a sentence in Swedish prison, which ended in December. The Swedish government granted the U.S. extradition request on Dec. 21, the U.S. attorney’s office said.