Police on Monday were still searching for a 45-year-old man believed to be connected to a group of individuals who used forged state seals and impersonated officials.

The man, a Costas Patsalides from Limassol, is wanted in connection to a bizarre care where persons were posing as military officials, postmen and legal functionaries, while submitting documents bearing falsified seals of the Republic of Cyprus, sometimes using United States military insignia, and claiming ties to the US government.

So far two people have been arrested – a 62-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman. They were remanded in policy custody. Their remand expires on Wednesday; it may or may not be renewed.

No further arrests have been made or additional warrants issued, police sources told the Cyprus Mail.
Authorities have seized a number of computers, electronic devices and documents. CID has taken the lead in the ongoing investigation.

The same sources told us that, up until the weekend, about 10 members of the public had come forth and reported interactions with members of the group.

Usually these people had financial difficulties – non-performing loans, homes under repossession – with the members of the group promising to help them.

Some of the members of the public claim they gave money to the scammers.

During his appearance before Nicosia district court last week, the 62-year-old reportedly claimed to be a US citizen “in a sense”, while also claiming ties to the US government.

“I am not a person, I am an entity,” he told the court.

The affair began to unravel after a law firm representing a client – who had just acquired an apartment via auction – filed a complaint to authorities last year.

From what was heard in court last week, the new owner had hired the law firm to help him evict the apartment tenant – the 43-year-old female suspect – as she was allegedly violating the tenancy contract.

At some point subsequently, the 62-year-old suspect as well as the wanted 45-year-old paid a visit to the lawyer handling the case on behalf of the apartment owner. They wore shirts emblazoned with ‘US Department’, told the lawyer they belonged to the ‘Army of the Fourth Flag’ and claimed the tenant was under their “protection”.

According to the lawyer, the two men used military and legal jargon and would often ‘sign’ documents with their fingerprints.

At various times these individuals would cite unknown treaties or laws.

Meantime in another twist, the Cyprus Mail has confirmed that a strange proclamation/manifesto published in a local newspaper last year is almost certainly linked to the group in question.

The proclamation was published back in June 2024. The Cyprus Mail has learned that it was paid for by the ‘customers’ of the group – individuals whom the group had promised to help with their financial troubles.

Apparently it was intended as a notification of sorts, the idea being that it might subsequently serve as a ‘legal disclaimer’ in the event of these cases ever ending up in court.

One of the persons named in the proclamation is a Costas Patsalides – though it was unclear whether this is the same person as the one now wanted by police.

In the proclamation, the signatories call themselves “Living entities in the image and likeness of the one and unique creator, beneficiaries and trustees of…”

There follows a list of dozens of Greek names – the referenced ‘beneficiaries and trustees’.
They state that they have Cypriot nationality “in the nation of the Greeks of Cyprus, and not citizenship of the bankrupt private company called ‘The Republic of Cyprus Ltd’.”

The proclamation goes on to assert that this ‘company’ is based in Delaware, United States, and has a registration number 81-310-57-83.

The signatories say they owe no allegiance to “the Crown or the governor of the aforementioned company…”

They further state they are not accountable to the authorities – be it the courts, the police, ministries, government departments, or public utilities.

“We hereby withdraw our trust in, and our representation by, the company known as ‘Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus’ and all associated corporate entities.”

And they call on “the international military force known as Space Force, which is here on the island [Cyprus] to crack down on corruption and graft, to act to shield us legally and constitutionally”.