65-year-old John Apostolou from Chicago owns the large food chain ”Giordano’s Pizza”, which used to be very prosperous throughout the USA. John Apostolou’s businesses now owes $45.5 million dollars to Fifth Third Bank, according to The Chicago Tribune.
John Apostolou feels very devastated about the current situation. He started as a cook at a Giordano’s in 1979 under its original owners—two brothers who named the restaurant after their mother, who was known for her stuffed pizza. Apostolou eventually became a franchisee (1988), owning four locations.
He has been banned from the premises since last month and wishes he could go inside the restaurant he has been running for years. The business has been operating under bankruptcy protection since February and Apostolou cannot enter or work there anymore.
Now, an investment banker has been hired to sell the food chain.
Apostolou’s lawyer admitted that his client has made several mistakes in the past, which resulted in the bankruptcy of the businesses. One of his biggest mistakes is that he filed fake documents in the court in his effort to terminate bankruptcy, alleging fraud and other misdeeds. Among the documents, there was an affidavit also signed by his wife, Eva in which they claim that they don’t recognize U.S. currency and that are free of any legal constraints.
J.J. MacNab, an insurance analyst who specialists in the research of anti-government groups claimed that ”the affidavit’s pseudo-legal nonsense has all the hallmarks of a loose-knit anti-government group known as “sovereign citizens”. According to MacNab, ”sovereign citizens don’t believe in paying taxes or acquiring driver’s licenses”.
Apostolou denied that he and his wife are sovereign citizens but claimed that he was affiliated with someone known to be a ”sovereign citizen”, Marshall Home. According to Home’s website, the party supports “the individual in their right to freely choose for themselves.”
“A sovereign citizen happens to be a loyal citizen and wants to preserve the American way of life and stands up for independent and free choice,” Home said. “We believe in freedom. You are the king and all women are queens. The Treaty of Paris says we were given that right. Everybody who works for the courts are servants.”
Apostolou came in contact with Home, to seek help with his business’s upcoming bankruptcy. His lawyer accused Home of victimizing Apostolou, who trusted him for help. In the beginning, Apostolou stated that the documents he filed in court were given to him by Home and that he and his wife dint realize what they signed.
He later supported Home saying that “He’s a man who cares about people, who helps people save their homes from illegal foreclosures”. Home promised that he would save him, eventually.
Apostolou left Greece at the age of 17 and moved to Chicago. He started working at the former Bismarck Hotel. He met Eva, on a six-month trip in Greece and they married. The couple have been married for 31 years and have three children.
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