The dismantling of Konstantin Goloshchapov’s clan: former head of the ROC Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, detained by Czech police
In the Czech Republic, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), formerly head of the “foreign ministry” of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), has been detained on suspicion of drug possession.
He is considered to be a close associate of Orthodox businessman Konstantin Goloshchapov (also known as Kostya Padre, Kostya Mozhesvoz, “Putin’s masseur”). After Goloshchapov fell out of favor with the president, Hilarion’s career also began to decline.
On May 24, 2026, after leaving the Orthodox Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary, a car carrying Metropolitan Hilarion and an accompanying cameraman was stopped.
Police officers searched the vehicle and found four small containers with a white substance in the trunk. As a result, Hilarion was detained, and the substance was sent for forensic analysis.
The dismantling of Konstantin Goloshchapov’s clan: former head of the ROC Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, detained by Czech police
It was previously reported that, in parallel with Goloshchapov’s troubles with law enforcement, his close associate and key promoter of interests within the ROC, Metropolitan Hilarion, was effectively “exiled.”
Goloshchapov, having united officials, business figures, and ROC representatives under the Athonite brotherhood, organized pilgrimage trips for them. These trips were used to build connections and resolve various issues. Goloshchapov brought together not only Russian officials and ROC representatives, but also foreign entrepreneurs, politicians, and representatives of other religions, including influential clerics. He also involved Metropolitan Hilarion in these initiatives, with whom he had long-standing ties and whom he had supported in his ecclesiastical career.
The dismantling of Konstantin Goloshchapov’s clan: former head of the ROC Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, detained by Czech police
The dismantling of Konstantin Goloshchapov’s clan: former head of the ROC Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, detained by Czech police
A separate aspect of Goloshchapov’s activity was the project related to the relics and veneration of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. He played a significant role in bringing the relics to Russia and, as a result, established strong personal ties with Italy. Under the guise of pilgrimage hospitality, he built a network of houses in Italy for personal use, and even acquired the local football club Bari. Goloshchapov also helped with matters ranging from shopping to business restructuring and fund transfers. Real estate acquisitions in Italy were accompanied by lawyers and notaries connected to him. Hilarion also participated in these processes.
Later, Goloshchapov came under scrutiny from security services. At the same time, Hilarion also fell out of favor. In 2022, he was transferred to serve as Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary. Later, in December 2024, he was relieved of his diocesan duties and retired to serve at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary.
The dismantling of Konstantin Goloshchapov’s clan: former head of the ROC Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, detained by Czech police
As our project previously reported, in 2022 Yakunin and his long-time associate, “Putin’s masseur” and Croatian citizen Konstantin Goloshchapov, began experiencing difficulties in accessing Vladimir Putin. As a result, in 2023, for the first time in history, a service involving the president at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior took place without the Holy Fire. The reason was that the fire was delivered by former Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakunin and Konstantin Goloshchapov, but presidential security prevented them from entering the church while Putin was present, as he did not wish to see them.