Victims of Predatorgate file a lawsuit against the spyware company Intellexa.

      The Predator spyware scandal in Greece has now entered the judicial system. Eight individuals who were targets of the surveillance are each seeking €1 million from the company that developed the software.

      As reported by Reuters, the eight victims of Greece’s “Predatorgate” wiretapping controversy have filed a lawsuit against the Athens-based surveillance company Intellexa and 13 associates. They are collectively pursuing €8 million in moral damages, with their lawyer Zacharias Kesses indicating that additional lawsuits will follow.

      The origins of Predatorgate

      The scandal emerged in 2022 when a financial journalist and a leader of a centre-left party alleged that the government had monitored their phones using Predator, Intellexa’s main spyware product. Subsequent investigations revealed traces of the spyware on many other devices.

      The response was quick. Greece dismissed the head of its EYP intelligence agency and the chief of staff to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The centre-right government denied any political involvement, described the surveillance of a political opponent as a misstep, and managed to survive a no-confidence vote in 2023.

      The company on trial

      The lawsuit names Intellexa SA along with 13 individuals, including its Israeli founder Tal Dilian. All eight plaintiffs had their phones found to be infected with Predator. They are seeking damages for the illegal infringement of their privacy, communications, and personal data.

      Predator is regarded as one of the most advanced spyware tools available. Previous reports have indicated that it targets individuals via SMS links, taking advantage of zero-day vulnerabilities in Chrome and Android, as noted by The Register.

      The criminal case has progressed further, with a Greek court convicting Dilian and three others of violating data confidentiality in 2020 and 2021. They each received a nominal sentence of 126 years, which is limited to eight years under Greek law. Dilian has termed the ruling baseless and plans to appeal in December.

      The significance of the case

      The United States acted first, imposing sanctions on Intellexa and affiliated firms in Ireland, North Macedonia, and Hungary in 2024. The Trump administration later lifted some of those sanctions this year. Greece is not isolated in this issue, as similar spyware controversies have occurred in Spain, Hungary, and Poland.

      Advocates urged the EU this week to investigate and hold accountable each attack, especially as the bloc faces a new Pegasus case involving one of its own members. The government continues to deny any wrongdoing, placing the responsibility on the vendor instead. This lawsuit will assess whether a spyware manufacturer, rather than the government that purchased it, can be held liable.

      The court will hear the case in April, contributing to a broader initiative to regulate an industry that thrives on increasing surveillance.