Intellexa founder says he plans to appeal Greek court ruling over wiretapping scandal

WASHINGTON/ATHENS, March 24 - The founder of surveillance firm Intellexa plans to appeal against his conviction by a Greek court on charges of breaching personal data during a wiretapping scandal that rocked Greece in 2022, he told Reuters on Tuesday. Read more at straitstimes.com.

WASHINGTON/ATHENS, March 24 - The founder of surveillance firm Intellexa plans to appeal against his conviction by a Greek court on charges of breaching personal data during a wiretapping scandal that rocked Greece in 2022, he told Reuters on Tuesday.

On February 26, a Greek court concluded that Intellexa's Tal Dilian and three other people were guilty of the misdemeanour charges and sentenced them to prison, suspended until an appeal.

"I remained silent during the trial, but I will not be a scapegoat," Dilian said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"I believe a conviction without evidence is not justice, it could be part of a cover-up and even a crime. I will present my case before national, regional, and international institutions, including requesting the intervention of the UN Special Rapporteur on judicial independence."

The affair, dubbed "Predatorgate" in Greece, emerged after allegations by a financial journalist and a political leader that they had been subject to state surveillance via the phone malware Predator, the flagship spyware product of Intellexa.

The case led to the sacking of the head of the state intelligence service, EYP, and the prime minister's chief of staff. Traces of Predator were found in dozens of phones.