EU prosecutor launches investigation into spyware in Greece, says report

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is investigating the use of illegal spyware in wiretaps on journalists, politicians, businesspeople and members of the public in Greece, Euractiv reported on Tuesday.

According to the news outlet, the EPPO’s probe was launched at the request of PEGA, the European Parliament committee investigating the use of Predator and other surveillance spyware.

Citing confidential sources, Euractiv said that EPPO has received “specific information” from Greek journalists investigating the affair.

“The persons who testified to the prosecutors submitted evidence proving that the administration of (Prime Minister) Kyriakos Mitsotakis facilitated the proliferation of Intellexa’s Predator spyware to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Madagascar, and Bangladesh by granting export licenses through the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Euractiv quoted a source as saying.

Euractiv also indicated that there is evidence to suggest “enormous tax evasion” by the firms associated with the illegal spyware.

“Undeclared payments, fake invoices and triangular transactions are some of the serious tax crimes which appear to have been committed by the Greek companies Intellexa and Krikel, the Irish company Thalestris, and by the Cypriot companies associated with them,” it quoted a source as saying. “Hundreds of fake invoices and tax statements have been submitted to the European Prosecutor to document fraud and how EU’s interests are affected.”