The spyware controversy surrounding the surveillance tool Predator has returned to the centre of political debate in Greece following recent court convictions linked to the software’s distribution and new public remarks by Intellexa founder Tal Dilian.
The affair first emerged in 2022 and rapidly developed into one of the most consequential political controversies in Greece in recent decades. At its core lay evidence that the mobile phones of journalists, political figures and senior officials had been targeted through malicious messages connected to Predator spyware. Legal proceedings have since clarified aspects of the technological infrastructure involved in the operation. The identity of the actor who ultimately deployed the system remains unresolved.
The investigation
The scandal surfaced when Greek investigative journalist Thanasis Koukakis discovered that his phone had been infected with Predator spyware. Shortly afterwards, Nikos Androulakis, leader of the PASOK party and a member of the European Parliament, revealed that his phone had also been targeted. Subsequent investigations suggested that dozens of individuals had received malicious links designed to compromise their devices. Journalists, politicians, military figures and business executives appeared among those targeted.
The revelations triggered a major political crisis in Athens. Greece’s intelligence chief Panagiotis Kontoleon resigned, followed by the resignation of the prime minister’s chief of staff Grigoris Dimitriadis. The Greek government denied involvement in the spyware operation, yet the affair generated sustained political pressure and attracted scrutiny across European institutions. The controversy also had repercussions for Greece’s international standing. The country fell sharply in global press freedom rankings, while the European Parliament initiated an inquiry into the use of commercial spyware within the European Union.
The surveillance technology market
Predator belongs to a rapidly expanding sector of commercial surveillance technologies. The software was developed by companies connected to the Intellexa consortium, founded by former Israeli military officer Tal Dilian. Once installed on a device, the software can access messages, files and contacts while enabling remote monitoring of microphones and cameras. In most documented cases the infection occurs after the target activates a malicious link sent through a text message or other communication platform.
Companies operating in the spyware industry maintain that their technologies serve legitimate law-enforcement and national security purposes. Human-rights organisations and investigative reporters have raised concerns about weak oversight and the use of such systems against journalists, political opponents and civil society figures.
Convictions in Greece
In February 2026 a Greek court delivered the first criminal convictions connected to the Predator affair. Four individuals associated with the Intellexa network, including Dilian, were found guilty of unlawfully accessing communications systems and violating personal data protections. The sentences imposed exceeded a century in total, although Greek law limits the effective custodial term and appeals are expected.
The ruling established that Predator-linked messages were sent to numerous targets. Evidence presented during the proceedings indicated that at least 85 individuals had received infected messages connected to the spyware operation. Despite the convictions, the proceedings focused primarily on the distribution and operation of the technological infrastructure rather than the entity that ultimately directed the surveillance activity.
Investigative journalist Tasos Telloglou noted in an interview this morning on Politis Radio, that the judicial process addressed violations of personal data protections connected to the sending of infected messages. The proceedings did not establish who served as the final user of the surveillance system.
Dilian’s remarks
The controversy intensified again after Dilian addressed the issue in an interview with Greek media. In his remarks he stated that Intellexa supplies its surveillance technology exclusively to governments and law-enforcement authorities. The comment immediately generated renewed political debate in Greece, where successive governments have denied purchasing or operating the Predator system.
European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert reiterated that any illegal access to citizens’ data, particularly involving journalists or political opponents, is unacceptable. The Commission pointed to provisions in the European Media Freedom Act that establish safeguards against the use of spyware targeting journalists and their families. Officials declined to comment on whether the case will feature in the European Union’s next rule-of-law report on Greece.
The Cyprus connection
Cyprus entered the broader narrative of the Predator affair several years earlier. Tal Dilian and companies linked to Intellexa maintained operations on the island, where the surveillance technology sector has grown steadily in recent years. Public attention intensified in 2019 after a television report showed Dilian demonstrating surveillance capabilities from a specialised vehicle parked in Larnaca. The vehicle contained equipment capable of intercepting communications and monitoring mobile devices.
The so-called “spy van” triggered public controversy and prompted investigations by Cypriot authorities. The episode raised questions regarding the regulatory framework governing surveillance technologies operating from Cyprus. When the Predator scandal later emerged in Greece, the earlier incident in Larnaca gained renewed relevance within the wider discussion about the international networks supporting the spyware industry.