The founder of spyware maker Intellexa said he will appeal a Greek court conviction over a mass-wiretapping campaign that used Predator to hack dozens of phones belonging to ministers, opposition leaders, military officials and journalists in Greece.
KEY FACTS
- Conviction Tal Dilian was sentenced in February to eight years in prison.
- Allegation The case centers on illegal collection of personal data through Predator spyware.
- Targets The hacking affected senior officials, opposition figures, military officials and journalists.
- Aftermath Several senior Greek officials resigned after the surveillance came to light.
The case has been described as “Greek Watergate” because of the scale and the range of people targeted. Predator can break into iPhones and Android devices to steal call logs, text messages, emails and location data, often after a target clicks a malicious link.
In a statement first reported by Reuters, Dilian said he would not be a “scapegoat.” He said a conviction without evidence was not justice and suggested the case could be part of a cover-up. He also said he was willing to share evidence with national and international regulators.
The disclosure did not identify any government officials who have been convicted in connection with the surveillance. Critics have accused the Mitsotakis government of a cover-up, while the government and the Greek embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Intellexa founder Tal Dilian also said surveillance tools like Predator are typically sold only to governments, which are responsible for using them lawfully. The U.S. sanctioned him in 2024 after Predator was found on phones belonging to U.S. officials and journalists.
WHY IT MATTERS
The case highlights how commercial spyware can be used against political leaders, journalists and state officials, and how difficult it can be to assign responsibility when surveillance systems are sold through opaque channels. The appeal could keep scrutiny on Greece’s handling of the scandal and on the wider spyware market.