Greek victims sue Intellexa for €7.6M as Predator infections target journalists and former officials

Court records and device forensics documented Predator implants on phones belonging to a former Meta security manager, journalist Thanassis Koukakis, two lawyers, a police forensics director, an intelligence agency head, and journalist Spyridon Sideris. The infections occurred via government-linked infrastructure, with traces first identified in 2022 by independent researchers. Greek courts sentenced Intellexa founder Tal Dilian and three associates to over 126 years but capped effective time at eight years, leaving them free pending appeal. The suit maps company networks and role divisions, exposing how mercenary spyware was routed exclusively to state customers while Dilian now claims the Greek EYP intelligence service selected targets and concealed operations.

Evidence from procurement patterns and prior Citizen Lab reports shows Intellexa operated through layered shell entities across Europe and the Middle East, selling zero-click capabilities to authoritarian-leaning governments. Official Greek statements attributed use solely to counterterrorism, yet victims include dissident journalists and former security officials, contradicting those claims. Dilian's post-sentencing interviews assert Intellexa bore no targeting responsibility, creating a direct split between technical sales records and government attribution narratives. This mirrors broader mercenary spyware accountability gaps documented in EU parliamentary inquiries.

The April 2027 trial will test whether civil damages can pierce limited liability structures that have shielded similar firms. Next steps include potential European Court of Human Rights filings if national remedies stall, alongside renewed scrutiny of Greek intelligence procurement contracts. Independent verification of infection vectors remains critical, as official forensics have historically minimized scope.

Operational significance lies in the precedent for victim-led suits against spyware vendors, potentially forcing disclosure of customer lists that governments have withheld. Without enforcement beyond symbolic sentences, patterns of state-enabled abuse will persist across EU borders.