Four Greeks found guilty in 2022 spyware scandal by Greek court

Four individuals, including two Israelis, have been found guilty by a Greek court in a major wiretapping scandal. The defendants were charged with breaching the confidentiality of telephone communications and tampering with personal-data filing systems.

The trial centered on allegations made by opposition party leader Nikos Androulakis and journalist Thanasis Koukakis that they had been under state surveillance via phone malware. Koukakis, an investigative journalist, discovered he had been wiretapped by the intelligence services (EYP) and found his phone to be infected with Predator software.

The court sentenced four individuals to a combined total of 126 years and eight months in prison. The defendants include Tal Dilian, a former Israeli soldier and founder of Intellexa, as well as two former Greek executives of the company. Their business partner was also on trial.

According to reports, Predator software was used against more than 90 people, including some who were targeted by the intelligence services’ monitoring efforts. The court’s ruling has led to judicial investigations and the resignation of senior officials in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s administration.

The Greek government had claimed it lawfully monitored the communications of Socialist party leader Nikos Androulakis, but denied any wrongdoing. The scandal prompted a motion of no confidence in parliament, which was later weathered by Mitsotakis.

Source: Al Jazeera