Trump 'coffee boy' and Chicagoan George Papadopoulos filming life story
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has given Chicago mini-celebrity George Papadopoulos the green light to travel to Europe later this month so that he and his wife Simona may film the story of their lives, the I-Team has learned.
Mr. Papadopoulos, a graduate of Niles West High School and DePaul University, gained notoriety as the first Donald Trump campaign adviser to plead guilty and cooperate in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Once referred to as a mere coffee boy to the Trump campaign, Papadopoulos has parlayed his role as a short-term foreign policy adviser into a political-universe celebrity and book author who claims he was the pawn in a much larger American conspiracy.
Currently on probation following a two week federal prison sentence, Papadopoulos on Friday filed a court request to retrieve his passport that was surrendered last year to the court.
According to newly filed court documents obtained by the I-Team, "Mr. Papadopoulos is currently residing in Los Angeles with his wife, Simona Papadopoulos. They are supporting themselves economically by filming a 13-part docu-series, funded by FGW Productions."
The executive producer of the show says it will document their lives "post-Mueller" investigation, referring to the special counsel Robert Mueller who brought the case against Papadopoulos.
In early July Papadopoulos received court approval to leave the United States for filming. According to a letter from his attorney, the production plan would put Mr. and Mrs. Papadopoulos in London between July 24th and 28th, in Thessaloniki, Greece from July 28-30; Rome, Italy between July 31 and Caserta, Italy from Aug 2-4th.
The docu-drama will be a "political tell-all" that goes beyond Papadopoulos' book "Deep State Target." Executive producer Stephanie Frederic told the I-Team that the show will be an "intimate look at a jet setting couple; cat-fighting millennials."
They began following the couple last November when Papadopoulos reported for prison in Wisconsin.
As part of the production, cameras have been installed in the couple's Los Angeles home and at one point last January captured an argument involving Papadopoulos' mother during which police had to be called, Frederic said. Papadopoulous' mother could not be reached for comment.
The Papadopoulos' met in London, where their relationship with a political science scholar played an initial pivotal role in the FBI investigation of Russian collusion allegations.
George Papadopoulos is of Greek heritage and his wife is an Italian national-hence the filming locations in those countries.
The 13 part series has not been sold for air, but Frederic says she expects it will be in the next couple of months and could air as early as January.
But for the ex-con Chicagoan Papadopoulos, even this project is not without legal hurdles.
The production company and Mrs. Papadopoulos are currently being sued in Southern California federal court by a man who claims that he co-created the docu-drama and was forced off the project.
According to the lawsuit, Michael Douglas Carlin began filming with the couple in Wisconsin where Mr. Papadopoulos served his brief prison sentence. FGW productions and Simona Papadopoulos have filed an answer to the lawsuit denying the allegations. There is a court hearing scheduled for next month in Los Angeles.
