US Sanctions Individuals and Company Linked to Intellexa Spyware in Greek Wiretapping Scandal

Washington D.C., September 16, 2024 - The United States has imposed sanctions on five individuals and one company for their alleged involvement in the distribution of Predator spyware by the Intellexa Consortium.

This action directly addresses the illegal use of Predator spyware in Greece, which targeted the phones of prominent figures including politicians, journalists, and business leaders.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctions, citing the individuals' and entity's roles in "developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology that presents a significant threat to the national security of the United States." This action follows previous US sanctions against 13 individuals involved in similar activities and highlights the US government's ongoing commitment to combatting the proliferation of harmful spyware technologies.

"The United States will not tolerate the reckless propagation of disruptive technologies that threaten our national security and undermine the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens," stated Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley T. Smith. "We will continue to hold accountable those that seek to enable the proliferation of exploitative technologies, while also encouraging the responsible development of technologies that align with international standards.”

The sanctioned individuals are:

• Felix Bitzios: Identified as the beneficial owner of an Intellexa Consortium company supplying Predator spyware to a foreign government and manager of Intellexa SA.
• Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi: Beneficial owner of Thalestris Limited and Intellexa Limited, holding distribution rights to Predator spyware and allegedly processing transactions for other Intellexa Consortium entities.
• Merom Harpaz: A top executive within the Intellexa Consortium and manager of Intellexa SA.
• Panagiota Karaoli: Director of multiple Intellexa Consortium entities controlled by or subsidiary to Thalestris Limited.
• Artemis Artemiou: General manager and board member of Cytrox Holdings, an Intellexa Consortium member, and an employee of Intellexa SA.

The sanctioned entity is:

• Aliada Group Inc.: A British Virgin Islands-based company and member of the Intellexa Consortium accused of facilitating tens of millions of dollars in transactions for the network.

These sanctions freeze any US-based assets belonging to the designated individuals and entity and prohibit US citizens and entities from engaging in any transactions with them. Violations of these sanctions can lead to severe penalties, including asset seizures and criminal charges.

This action emphasizes the US government's firm stance against the misuse of spyware technologies and its dedication to safeguarding national security and individual liberties.