Greek Courts Convict Four in Predatorgate Spyware Scandal with 126-Year Sentence
Greek courts have issued a landmark first-instance criminal conviction in the Predatorgate scandal, finding four individuals linked to the spyware vendor Intellexa guilty of unlawful surveillance. The court imposed cumulative prison sentences totaling 126 years and 8 months.
The Conviction and Sentences
The ruling represents the first major criminal conviction in the long-running scandal. The courts found the four defendants, all connected to the spyware firm Intellexa, guilty of conducting illegal surveillance operations. The sentences were handed down on April 1, 2026.
Broader Implications and Unanswered Questions
The case has resonated across the European Union, challenging the widespread impunity typically afforded to surveillance technology vendors and intensifying calls for an outright ban on such spyware. Following this verdict, the courts must now establish responsibility for who ordered the espionage, a critical next phase in the legal process.
The conviction breaks new ground in holding individuals within the spyware supply chain accountable, though the full chain of command behind the surveillance operations remains to be determined by ongoing judicial proceedings.