A convicted spyware trader claims that the Greek government is involved in a surveillance scandal
Weeks after being sentenced to more than 126 years in prison for his role in a massive domestic wiretapping scandal, the founder of the commercial spyware company Intellexa has stated that his firm provides its surveillance technology exclusively to authorized government agencies.
Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence officer, made the comments in a written statement to the Greek television program "MEGA Stories."
Asked directly by the program whether Intellexa collaborated with state agencies or private individuals to surveil at least 87 Greek targets, Dilian distanced his company from the software’s deployment.
"We operate strictly under European and international export regulations, providing technology exclusively to authorized governments and law enforcement agencies," Dilian said in the statement.
He added that Intellexa does not conduct the surveillance itself, noting that the responsibility for the lawful use of the technology "rests with the sovereign authorities that acquire and operate them."
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Dilian’s statement immediately reignited political outrage in Athens, where opposition leaders seized on his words as proof that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his administration were directly behind the surveillance.
Nikos Androulakis, leader of the PASOK opposition party and a confirmed target of the Predator spyware, said the government’s narrative of rogue private actors operating the software has collapsed.
"Predator and illegal surveillance were the weapons of a deep state, set up by the prime minister and the Maximos Mansion," Androulakis said, referring to the prime minister’s office. "Half of his cabinet, the heads of the armed forces, journalists, and state officials were illegally monitored. After Dilian’s cynical admission, the prime minister cannot pretend to be ignorant and misled."
The Greek government swiftly rejected the accusations. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis dismissed Androulakis’ statements as a political distraction, pointing out that the Greek Supreme Court previously cleared state officials of criminal involvement in the scandal. He argued that the recent convictions of four private individuals proved there was no state cover-up.
"Even a kindergarten child understands that Mr. Androulakis is using the wiretaps as an attempt to distract from the huge internal political crisis he is having," Marinakis told the SKAI television channel.
But other opposition figures echoed the outrage over Dilian’s admission. Sokratis Famellos, head of the Syriza party, called it a "profound institutional crisis," stating that "Pandora’s box has been opened." Gabriel Sakellaridis, secretary of the New Left party, added that the statement removes any doubt that the Greek government and the National Intelligence Service (EYP) were Intellexa’s clients.
The renewed political clash traces back to the February 26 court ruling, which found that Intellexa’s Predator software was used to surveil verified victims across Greek civil society, politics, and the military.
Dilian, Intellexa shareholder Felix Bitzios, business manager Sara Aleksandra Hamou, and supplier Giannis Lavranos each received sentences of 126 years and eight months. Under Greek law, the maximum time to be served for such misdemeanor convictions is capped at eight years. The defendants have the right to appeal.
During that trial, Prosecutor Dimitris Pavlidis argued that the evidence presented in court warranted further investigation into potential felony charges, including espionage.
The Intellexa consortium already faces international scrutiny. In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the group for developing and distributing commercial spyware used to target Americans, including government officials and journalists.
Yuliya Varava