Greek Wiretapping Victims File €1M Lawsuit Against Spyware Firm Intellexa
Overview of the Greek Wiretapping Scandal and Legal Actions
Background of the Predatorgate Affair
ATHENS, July 7 (Reuters) - Eight victims of a Greek wiretapping scandal have sued the Athens-based surveillance firm Intellexa SA and individuals believed to be linked to it, seeking €1 million ($1.1 million) each for moral harm, their lawyer said on Tuesday.
The affair, dubbed "Predatorgate", emerged in 2022 after a financial journalist and a centre-left political party leader said that they had been subject to state surveillance with the phone malware Predator, Intellexa's flagship spyware product.
Political Fallout and Government Response
The case led to the sacking of the head of the EYP state intelligence service and the prime minister's chief of staff. Traces of Predator were later found in dozens of phones.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right government has denied any political involvement in the wiretapping, calling the monitoring of a political opponent's phone a mistake and saying it was not aware of the incident before it happened. It survived a vote of no confidence on the matter in 2023.
Legal Proceedings Against Intellexa and Associated Individuals
Conviction of Intellexa’s Founder
In February, a court found Intellexa's Israeli founder Tal Dilian and three others guilty of breaching personal data confidentiality in 2020–2021. Each received prison sentences totaling 126 years and eight months, with actual time capped at eight years, pending appeal.
Dilian’s Response and Upcoming Appeal
Dilian said in March that the conviction was unfounded and that he would not be a scapegoat. He said the surveillance technology had been sold only to governments, and that they were responsibile for how it was used. An appeal hearing is set for December.
New Lawsuit Filed by Wiretapping Victims
Now eight people whose phones were found to be infected with Predator have filed a suit against Intellexa and 13 individuals including Dilian, their lawyer Zacharias Kesses said on Tuesday, adding that more lawsuits would follow.
Each plaintiff is seeking €1 million in moral damages for "the unlawful violation of their private life, the confidentiality of their communications, and their personal data," Kesses said. The case is due to be heard in April.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8752 euros)
(Reporting by Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Kevin Liffey)