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John Tsombikos is a graffiti artist responsible for the \"Borf\" graffiti seen in and around Washington, DC during 2004 and 2005. more...

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His work was ubiquitous around Dupont Circle, and ranged from simple tagging to complete sentences to two-color stencils to a massive defacement on an overhead exit sign from the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to Constitution Avenue . Tsombikos was arrested July 13, 2005 after tips from locals led police to his latest defacing.

Tsombikos's graffiti campaign attracted widespread attention without explaining its motivations. In a Washington Post article published after his arrest, he expressed a dislike for property, capitalism, the voting age of 18, bourgeois or \"boojy\" coffeeshops such as Starbucks, and ironically, the perception of young people as scofflaws. He claimed to be inspired by Situationism. According to Tsombikos's mother, both the nickname \"Borf\" and the Borf face were references to a close friend of Tsombikos who had committed suicide.

Shortly after his arrest, a group of young people held a rally in Dupont Circle, claiming that they were all Borf and that Tsombikos was one of their group.

On July 29, 2006, a group of young people calling themselves the \"Borf Brigade\" released a video communiqué in which they labelled Tsombikos a \"minor Borfist\" and announcing that he had been \"purged.\"

Court Appearance

Approximately four months after his arrest, Tsombikos appeared before the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, complete with paint-stained attire. His coat, which bore resemblance to one which he wore in the July 14 Washington Post article published after his arrest, was declared evidence by the judge and handed over to the prosecution.

His garments have led law enforcement officials to believe that Tsombikos has continued tagging. They assert that the appearance of a posthumous Borf tag on an emergency call box near the courthouse supports their claim.

Investigators recently searched his home for paint and other art supplies, climbing equipment, and other supplies. Additionally, they searched for evidence indicative of a \"conspiracy\" involving artists in other cities.

Tsombikos's trial was scheduled for February 7. He was charged with a felony offense of destruction of property, facing up to ten years in prison and $5000 in fines.

Judge Lynn Leibovitz set a hearing for December 7 to decide whether bond should be set for Tsombikos. She ordered him to stay out of the District during his bond and during his probation, save for court appearances, until his trial.

On December 12, 2005, Tsombikos pled guilty to one count of felony destruction of property. He agreed to perform community service, cleaning up graffiti, and to pay $12,000 in restitution. Sentencing was scheduled for February 9, 2006. Judge Leibovitz ordered him to stay out of the District except for court appearances and classes at the Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Read more at Wikipedia.org