Supreme Court finds no state service involvement in Predator spyware case
Greek Supreme Court Prosecutor Georgia Adeilini announced on Tuesday the results of the investigation into the phone-tapping case. The investigation found no involvement of any state service in the use or purchase of the illegal Predator spyware, which was discovered on the phones of numerous prominent Greek politicians, journalists, and businesspeople.
“The substantial evidence clearly indicates that no state service, including the National Intelligence Service (EYP), the Anti-Terrorist Unit or the Greek Police (Ministry of Citizen Protection), was involved with Predator spyware or any similar software,” the announcement said.
According to the Supreme Court, representatives and owners of companies connected to the spyware will face prosecution for violating telephone privacy, although these charges will be classified as misdemeanors due to legal amendments made in 2019. The individuals to be prosecuted are Ioannis Lavranos, Sara Aleksandra Hamu, Tal Jonathan Dilian, and Felix Bitzios.
The announcement also noted that there are indications that these companies may have been involved in similar privacy violations against high-profile individuals in other countries.
Regarding the regular wiretapping conducted by EYP between 2020 and 2024, the Supreme Court found that all legal protocols were adhered to by then-EYP prosecutor Angeliki Vlachou, who did not require special justification for the wiretapping orders. Consequently, she has been exonerated, and the case has been archived.
The announcement emphasized that a comprehensive 300-page report on the case was submitted by Deputy Supreme Court Prosecutor Achilles Zisis, with contributions from three independent authorities. Over 40 witnesses were interviewed, and the investigation spanned approximately two years.
The phone-tapping case began in 2022, following claims by PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis and journalist Thanasis Koukakis that they had been subjected to state surveillance through Predator spyware. It was later revealed that many high-profile individuals had Predator spyware installed on their devices while also being under official surveillance by EYP.
Zisis’ report described this situation as a “coincidence.”
The allegations, amid increasing concern within the European Union about spyware use, led to judicial investigations and the resignations of EYP chief Panagiotis Kontoleon and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ secretary general Grigoris Dimitriadis.
