Greece’s Wiretapping Scandal Trial Scheduled for March 5, 2025

21:43 27/1/2025 - Πηγή: Dikaiologitika

At the center of the controversy is the alleged use of the advanced Predator spyware in a sweeping surveillance operation that targeted politicians, journalists, and prominent business figures.

The highly anticipated trial in Greece’s wiretapping scandal, a case that has garnered widespread international attention, is set to begin on March 5, 2025, at the Single-Member

Misdemeanor Court of Athens.

At the center of the controversy is the alleged use of the advanced Predator spyware in a sweeping surveillance operation that targeted politicians, journalists, and prominent business figures. The proceedings are expected to shed light on one of the most contentious political and judicial controversies in recent Greek history.

The accused in this trial include Giannis Lavranos, the ultimate owner of the company Krikel, as well as Felix Bitzios, Tal Dilian, and Sarah Hamou, who own Intellexa, the company behind the development and sale of the illegal Predator surveillance spyware. Under Greek law, the defendants may appear in court personally or be represented by their lawyers.

Political and Judicial Cover-Up

The charges brought against the accused are limited to misdemeanors, specifically the violation of communications privacy. This narrow framing has drawn significant criticism, particularly as evidence points to a sprawling surveillance operation targeting high-ranking state officials. Despite years of investigation and substantial findings implicating the defendants, Greek authorities opted to pursue lesser charges, bypassing more serious allegations like espionage or the breach of state secrets. This decision has fueled suspicions of a deliberate effort to downplay the gravity of the case, with critics alleging a concerted political and judicial cover-up to protect powerful interests.

During the preliminary inquiry, investigators received evidence indicating that Predator software, alongside mechanisms for legal wiretapping, had been used by the Hellenic National Intelligence Service (EYP). The alleged targets included ministers, senior military officials, journalists, and businesspeople. Despite these findings, Achilleas Zisis, Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, refrained from calling victims to testify or examining their mobile phones. This decision has been heavily criticized, given that technical analyses demonstrated the victims’ phones had received malicious messages linked to Predator. Furthermore, Zisis’s decision not to pursue charges for graver offenses has intensified skepticism about the judicial system’s impartiality.

The controversy surrounding the investigation escalated in the summer of 2024 when Georgia Adelini, Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, publicly stated that EYP was not involved in the surveillance and that evidence only supported misdemeanor charges against Krikel and Intellexa representatives. This statement was met with widespread criticism for appearing to minimize the gravity of the allegations. Many viewed Adelini’s remarks as an attempt to restrict the scope of judicial inquiry, raising concerns about whether all aspects of the case were being adequately investigated.

Arms Dealers Shielded from Scrutiny

Adding to the controversy, investigative reporting by the outlet Inside Story revealed significant omissions in the prosecution’s approach. In October 2024, the outlet disclosed that Emilios Kosmidis was the individual who had financed servers used to distribute malicious Predator SMS messages to prominent figures such as European Parliament Member Nikos Androulakis, former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, and journalist Thanasis Koukakis. Despite lawsuits filed by Androulakis and Koukakis, Kosmidis was not charged as a suspect. Instead, he was summoned merely as a witness, leaving him outside the scope of the upcoming trial, even though his involvement in financing the spyware operation has been substantiated.

The investigation has also overlooked other key individuals implicated in facilitating the Predator infrastructure. Among them are Stavros Komnopoulos, an arms dealer, and his nephew, Panagiotis Tamvakidis. Inside Story reports indicate that through their companies, Rafnar and Kestrel, they played a central role in establishing the technical and logistical framework for Predator in Greece. This included supporting Intellexa’s operations in the Athens suburb of Elliniko and arranging accommodations for its Israeli executives, Rotem Farkash and Merom Harpaz, in Athens’ southern suburbs. Despite their alleged involvement, neither Komnopoulos nor Tamvakidis will face charges in the upcoming trial.

Further troubling details have emerged from the investigation. Evidence has shown that Komnopoulos’s company, European Investment Holdings, received significant wire transfers between 2021 and 2022 from Feronevo Ltd., a company affiliated with Intellexa. During the same period, Tamvakidis reportedly held meetings about defense procurement programs with senior Greek military officials, some of whom were also victims of the Predator surveillance campaign. These revelations have deepened concerns about the investigation’s thoroughness and its ability to hold all responsible parties accountable.

The judicial handling of the case has sparked accusations of a deliberate cover-up, with critics pointing to the roles of judicial leaders, including Isidoros Dogiakos and Georgia Adelini, in narrowing the investigation’s scope. Many have accused the government and the judiciary of attempting to shield key figures involved in the scandal, further undermining public trust in Greece’s judicial and political systems. As the trial approaches, these concerns are expected to remain at the forefront.

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