Cunningham Briber Thomas Kontogiannis' Secret Day in Court.

What's the big secret?

TPMmuckraker:

Cunningham Figure in Secret Hearing

... This morning, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hold a completely closed hearing on whether the transcripts of Kontogiannis' prior hearings should remain sealed, something, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports, that's unprecedented in recent history.

This whole part of the Randy 'Duke' Cunningham scandal just doesn't make sense yet with what little we know. First off, he pled guilty we know but why did Kontogiannis bribe Cunningham in the first place? The story pitched so far is it was because he wanted a Presidential pardon. I'm not buying it. Also why did Kontogiannis travel with Cunningham and Ziyad Abduljawad to Saudi Arabia?

Just how did Kontogiannis get into the mix with Wilkes and Wade? What's Kontogiannis's real line of work?

My best guess at this point: he was/is a CIA employee or asset (affiliated with the NIS of Greece perhaps?).

The FBI stated that:

More than $1 million in bribes were laundered by being sent to Kontogiannis instead of going directly to Cunningham. Investigators identified at least 70 separate bank accounts maintained by Kontogiannis at only one bank.

Despite all his many businesses, Kontogiannis has not filed a tax return since 2001.

For the first time, investigators shed light on what Kontogiannis expected to get from Cunningham – help on a potential sale of fighter jets to his native Greece.

I speculate, in fact I believe it's a fairly safe bet, that Thomas Kontogiannis is affiliated somehow with the CIA or similar because of the secrecy surrounding his role in this case and because this case has involved major players at the CIA all along. Cunningham Co-conspirator Wilkes and ex-CIA #2 Kyle 'Dusty' Foggo who resigned and is currently under investigation go way back.

What's clear is that prosecutors really want to keep the details surrounding Kontogiannis' plea secret. The Cunningham case, of course, has reached deep into the CIA with the prosecution of the former executive director Dusty Foggo. Does Kontogiannis have more information to provide about Foggo? Or does the classified information concerning his case run in a different vein?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Late Update Here. (Tommy K: Intelligence Asset?) I told ya!