The History of KRIONI

The History of KRIONI

The history of the Krioni detective agency dates back to fifteenth-century Venice. In 1449, a nobleman from the Kingdom of Candia and native of the northern coast of Crete risked his life to uncover crimes against religion, the church, and the republic. As you might have guessed, the detective’s name was KRIONI.

So, without further ado…

Five hundred and seventy-three years ago, in 1449, a man named Stammati Crassiot, from the city of Heraklion, forged the keys to the altar of St. Mark’s Basilica. Over the following weeks, he would sneak into the altar to cut a hole that would grant him access to the treasury.

He carved out a marble slate so perfectly that he could easily slip it in and out of the wall without attracting the attention of the clerics, removing a piece of treasure each time. His ill-gotten gains included a unicorn horn, which he sawed in half to smuggle out of the building.

Stammati could have returned to Crete the richest man in the world: in today’s money, his entire collection would be valued at 3.5 billion dollars.

However, everything changed when Stammati revealed his secret to a fellow countryman from Candia, a nobleman called Krioni. After gaining the criminal’s trust, Detective Krioni persuaded him to disclose the location of his stolen riches.

Krioni could barely contain himself upon seeing the stash of treasures. The thief sensed something suspicious in Krioni’s expression. He pulled out his dagger, with every intention of killing him on the spot.

But Krioni assured Stammati that his reaction was merely in recognition of the thief’s brilliance and genius. Flattered by his words and satisfied that Krioni posed no threat, Stammati presented his fellow countryman with an enormous red gemstone.

In doing so, he had gifted Krioni undeniable proof of his crime. The detective promptly alerted the authorities in Venice and took legal action.

Soon after, Stammati was convicted and sentenced to death. He was hung in the Piazza on a gilded rope strung between two tall pillars.

His stolen riches were returned to the treasury. However, from that time on, the precious gemstone gifted to Krioni adorned the headdress of the Doge of Venice.

In May 2012, followers of the great Venetian detective introduced a new term into the legal lexicon: “detective audit” (detective control). This type of private investigation identifies unreliable counterparties and business partners. The main method used to conduct detective controls has changed little over the centuries: a lone detective makes a test purchase under the guise of carrying out a commercial transaction at their own risk.

The agency’s logo was created in the mid-2010’s. It features the first icon of Saint Peter the Apostle, the patron saint of private investigators, designed by the Palekh iconostasis workshop.

The icon depicts the key events in the early days of private investigators, led by Saint Peter and his disciple Mark the Evangelist, one of the seventy apostles who followed Jesus Christ.

On January 23, 2020, the KRIONI trademark received a certificate of registration (No.743657).

Today, the Krioni detective agency draws on over twenty years of experience in the Russian Federation to offer its customers private investigation services. 

In addition to these services, we also sell a range of detective gear, including KRIONI men’s suits, signature men’s and women’s mechanical watches, stationery, glasses, and, of course, souvenirs.

We look forward to welcoming you as a regular customer!