A lawsuit has been filed by the family of a Columbia University psychiatry professor, alleging she engaged in a romantic relationship with a frail, retired Wall Street executive and defrauded him of $1.3 million to purchase a house in Greece.
Frank Watrous Hamilton III, who was 72 at the time, had suffered a stroke in 2018, leaving him in a “fragile” and “debilitated” state, according to statements made by his son in Manhattan Supreme Court filings.
How Maria Karayorgou, an emeritus professor of psychiatry, came to know Hamilton is unclear. However, Hamilton’s son contends that a professional psychiatrist ought to have understood Hamilton’s vulnerable position, given that he resided in Florida and was a “frail, vulnerable, and disoriented elderly man” when they began their relationship around 2021 or 2022.
The lawsuit claims that Dr. Karayorgou exploited Hamilton’s condition, insinuating herself into his life to gain his trust, ultimately manipulating him for her own financial gain.
Hamilton, a father of two, had a lengthy career on Wall Street and served as an executive at Promontory Interfinancial Network, which evolved into IntraFi.
His family also suggested that due to their significant age difference, the relationship resembled a “honey trap.” They allege that Karayorgou, then 57, traveled from New York to Florida multiple times to celebrate holidays and birthdays with Hamilton.
During some of these gatherings, Hamilton reportedly referred to her as his fiancée or wife.
Despite the affectionate gestures, the family claims Karayorgou relentlessly pressured Hamilton for money, often making him feel guilty about her financial needs. Allegedly, within just a few months, Hamilton transferred $100,000 to her on April 4, 2022, followed by a staggering $1.2 million on May 18, 2022, towards the purchase of a $1.3 million property in Athens.
After Hamilton’s passing on January 26, 2025, the family discovered the wire transfers. They maintain that despite an agreed understanding that the house would be co-owned, Karayorgou became the sole owner and has since cut off all connections with him.
Hamilton’s family argues that she exploited his weaknesses, using her trusted position to influence him inappropriately. Karayorgou, a noted researcher in the genetics of schizophrenia and author of 146 scientific papers, has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and her current status as the Acting Chief of the Medical Genetics Division of Psychiatry at Columbia University remains unchanged.
Attempts to reach Karayorgou, who reportedly owns a $1.7 million home in Riverdale, Bronx, have been unsuccessful.
