Intellexa Executives Sentenced in Predator Spyware Scandal Targeting 90+ Individuals in Greece, Including Politicians, Journalists
Published
Key Takeaways
- Key Convictions: Intellexa founder Tal Dilian and three associates have been sentenced by a Greek court for their roles in the Predator spyware scandal.
- Significant Sentences: The defendants were collectively sentenced to over 126 years, which, with an eight-year prison term to be served.
- Widespread Impact: Predator was used to target over 90 individuals in Greece, including politicians, journalists, and government officials, between 2020 and 2021.
A Greek court has delivered a significant verdict in the ongoing Intellexa spyware scandal, sentencing the consortium's founder, Tal Dilian, and three associates to prison. The Misdemeanour Court in Athens found the defendants guilty on multiple counts, including unlawful access to private communication systems and violations of data privacy laws.Â
The Predator Spyware Trial and Its Implications
The Predator spyware trial stems from the use of the sophisticated surveillance tool to target more than 90 people. The victim list included high-profile individuals such as cabinet ministers, journalists, senior military and judicial officials, and businesspeople.Â
The other individuals sentenced are:
- Corporate specialist Sara Hamou,Â
- Former Intellexa deputy administrator Felix Bitzios,Â
- Yiannis Lavranos, whose company, Krikel, allegedly purchased the Predator spyware.
The spyware was allegedly supplied via Krikel, a company owned by Lavranos, and deployed between 2020 and 2021. Ekathimerini reported that the judge imposed a combined prison sentence of 126 years and eight months, eight of which will have to be served.
Judicial authorities may investigate possible additional offences following information revealed during the proceedings, including that the prepaid bank card of supermarket employee Emilios Kosmidis was allegedly used to pay for malicious messages disseminating Predator to several high-profile figures, Ekathimerini reported.Â
These figures include journalist Thanasis Koukakis and Nikos Androulakis, leader of the main opposition PASOK-KINAL party and then-lawmaker at the European Parliament, who had reportedly been monitored by Greece’s EYP intelligence agency.
Broader Context of the Intellexa Scandal
The Greek court sentencing is a major development for Intellexa, a consortium already facing international scrutiny. In 2024, the U.S. government sanctioned several individuals associated with the company, including founder Tal Dilian, for their role in the proliferation of spyware. In December, the U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on executives previously linked to Intellexa and Predator, including Sara Hamou.
Ekathimerini mentioned the Greek court has also referred the case for further investigation into lesser espionage charges targeting the defendants and seven more individuals – three Israelis and four Greeks.
Despite these pressures, the spyware continues to be detected in campaigns targeting activists and journalists globally. Just this month, reports revealed that Angolan journalist Teixeira Candido was targeted with Predator.
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