His father was Gerodimos Stathas, head of the Stathaioi family in the Valtos region in Central Greece.

Stathas and a group of Greek military commanders fled to the Aegean sea.

They took action in the Aegean sea, harassing the Turkish navy and blockading major ports in Thessalia, Macedonia and Asia Minor.

During their 10-month reign, Salonica suffered from a loose blockade as the "pirates" captured most of the ships entering or leaving the port.

After 10 months, heavy winter and lack of ammunition obliged Giannis Stathas to disassemble the fleet.