The Greeks of The Wire
Encyclopedia
On the fictional TV series The Wire
, a man known only as The Greek
leads a criminal organization only known as The Greeks. The organization is introduced in Season Two as a mysterious and powerful criminal syndicate. Based in Highlandtown in Southeastern Baltimore, a predominantly Greek
neighborhood of the city, the organization pay off the I.B.S. dock workers to facilitate the importation and distribution of drugs and illegal goods through the port. They are a tangential part of the Major Case Unit's investigation in season two, but the organization's leaders escape capture due to connections to the FBI. The Greeks return to Baltimore at the end of Season Four and by Season Five have resumed business with the various other drug organizations in Baltimore. Compared to other antagonist groups of later seasons, however, The Greek's organization survives largely intact.
The following is a list of characters associated with that organization.
Boss of an organized crime outfit who shrewdly avoids any police investigation and always puts business first. In the final episode of Season 2, it is implied that he is not actually Greek.
: Сергій Малатов) is a trusted lieutenant in The Greek's nefarious import business. He is Ukrainian, although Americans often assume he is Russian. He hates this and their subsequent tendency to nickname him "Boris" (based on Boris Badenov
).
Born in Israel, Eton Ben-Eleazer (Hebrew: איתן בן אליעזר) is a top lieutenant of the Greek's crime organization in charge of Drug Distribution in Baltimore that supplied narcotics to smaller drug organizations such as Proposition Joe
, "White" Mike McArdle and Petey Dixon. He is arrested on a weapons charge and charged with racketeering and drug trafficking following the detail's investigation of smuggling through the Baltimore docks. He is last seen on trial with Horseface.
George Alexander Glekas (Greek
: Γιώργος Αλέξανδρος Γλεκας; February 18, 1960 - 2003) runs a warehouse and appliance store for The Greek
under the name Pyramid Industries and acts as the organization's fence
. Glekas often gets advice from Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos on important deals. The retail store he owns was used as a front to move their stolen goods from the docks.
Prior to appearing in the series Glekas had been charged with fencing stolen goods in San Diego, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence. Glekas was indicted in the smuggling investigation but was not arrested because he was shot and killed by Ziggy Sobotka
in a dispute over payment for a stolen car smuggling deal. Ziggy confesses to the murder and was shown serving time for the crime.
The Wire (TV series)
The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
, a man known only as The Greek
The Greek (The Wire)
The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking....
leads a criminal organization only known as The Greeks. The organization is introduced in Season Two as a mysterious and powerful criminal syndicate. Based in Highlandtown in Southeastern Baltimore, a predominantly Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
neighborhood of the city, the organization pay off the I.B.S. dock workers to facilitate the importation and distribution of drugs and illegal goods through the port. They are a tangential part of the Major Case Unit's investigation in season two, but the organization's leaders escape capture due to connections to the FBI. The Greeks return to Baltimore at the end of Season Four and by Season Five have resumed business with the various other drug organizations in Baltimore. Compared to other antagonist groups of later seasons, however, The Greek's organization survives largely intact.
The following is a list of characters associated with that organization.
The Greek
Boss of an organized crime outfit who shrewdly avoids any police investigation and always puts business first. In the final episode of Season 2, it is implied that he is not actually Greek.
Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
The second-in-command of an international organized crime organization known as "The Greeks."Sergei "Serge" Malatov
Sergei Malatov (UkrainianUkrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
: Сергій Малатов) is a trusted lieutenant in The Greek's nefarious import business. He is Ukrainian, although Americans often assume he is Russian. He hates this and their subsequent tendency to nickname him "Boris" (based on Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov is a fictional character in the 1960s animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle for short. He is voiced by Paul Frees....
).
Eton Ben-Eleazer
- Played by: Lev GornLev GornLev Gorn is an American stage, film and television actor. Sometimes he is credited as Lev Gorens.-Off-Broadway:**...
- Appears in season two: "All PrologueAll Prologue (The Wire episode)"All Prologue" is the sixth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Steve Shill...
"; "Stray RoundsStray Rounds (The Wire episode)"Stray Rounds" is the ninth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Tim Van Patten...
"; "Storm WarningsStorm Warnings (The Wire episode)"Storm Warnings" is the tenth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by Ed Burns from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Rob Bailey. It originally aired on August 10, 2003....
"; "Bad DreamsBad Dreams (The Wire episode)"Bad Dreams" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by George Pelecanos from a story by David Simon & George Pelecanos and was directed by Ernest Dickerson. It originally aired on August 17, 2003...
" and "Port in a StormPort in a Storm (The Wire episode)"Port in a Storm" is the twelfth and final episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Robert F. Colesberry...
".
Born in Israel, Eton Ben-Eleazer (Hebrew: איתן בן אליעזר) is a top lieutenant of the Greek's crime organization in charge of Drug Distribution in Baltimore that supplied narcotics to smaller drug organizations such as Proposition Joe
Proposition Joe
Joseph "Proposition Joe" Stewart is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug kingpin who preferred a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible...
, "White" Mike McArdle and Petey Dixon. He is arrested on a weapons charge and charged with racketeering and drug trafficking following the detail's investigation of smuggling through the Baltimore docks. He is last seen on trial with Horseface.
George "Double G" Glekas
- Played by: Teddy Cañez
- Appears in season two: "Ebb TideEbb Tide (The Wire episode)"Ebb Tide" is the first episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon, from a story by Simon and Ed Burns, and was directed by Ed Bianchi...
"; "Hot ShotsHot Shots (The Wire episode)"Hot Shots" is the third episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Elodie Keene. It originally aired on June 15, 2003....
";"Hard Cases"; "Duck and CoverDuck and Cover (The Wire episode)"Duck and Cover" is the eighth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by George Pelecanos from a story by David Simon & George Pelecanos and was directed by Dan Attias. It originally aired on July 20, 2003.-Title reference:The title refers in part...
"; "Stray RoundsStray Rounds (The Wire episode)"Stray Rounds" is the ninth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Tim Van Patten...
" and "Storm WarningsStorm Warnings (The Wire episode)"Storm Warnings" is the tenth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by Ed Burns from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Rob Bailey. It originally aired on August 10, 2003....
".
George Alexander Glekas (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Γιώργος Αλέξανδρος Γλεκας; February 18, 1960 - 2003) runs a warehouse and appliance store for The Greek
The Greek (The Wire)
The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking....
under the name Pyramid Industries and acts as the organization's fence
Fence (criminal)
A fence is an individual who knowingly buys stolen property for later resale, sometimes in a legitimate market. The fence thus acts as a middleman between thieves and the eventual buyers of stolen goods who may or may not be aware that the goods are stolen. As a verb, the word describes the...
. Glekas often gets advice from Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos on important deals. The retail store he owns was used as a front to move their stolen goods from the docks.
Prior to appearing in the series Glekas had been charged with fencing stolen goods in San Diego, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence. Glekas was indicted in the smuggling investigation but was not arrested because he was shot and killed by Ziggy Sobotka
Ziggy Sobotka
Chester Karol "Ziggy" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor James Ransone. Though his father Frank Sobotka was a well-respected stevedore union leader, Ziggy's often reckless and juvenile behavior gained him little respect among other members of the union and...
in a dispute over payment for a stolen car smuggling deal. Ziggy confesses to the murder and was shown serving time for the crime.