A key figure in Greece’s spyware case still owns a stake in US sanctioned Intellexa
One of the key figures in Greece’s spiraling wiretapping case still owns a 35% stake of Intellexa, which sells Predator spyware in Greece, despite attempts to show that he had sold the stake, a report revealed on Wednesday.
According to Greek investigative website ‘Inside Story,’ new evidence shows that businessman Felix Bitzios never seized to be a shareholder in Intellexa company, even though official documents have attempted to show that he has sold his stake, through the Cypriot company Santinomo Limited.
Earlier in March, the US Treasury Department announced it has sanctioned two people and Greek-based commercial spyware company Intellexa headed by former Israeli military officer Tal Dillian, which developed, operated and distributed technology used to target U.S. government officials, journalists and policy experts.
Biden administration officials said it marks the first time that the Treasury Department has sanctioned people or entities for the misuse of spyware.
The revelation is made by Andrea Gambazzi, a Swiss national, close associate of Dillian, who in the pre-dated documents filed with the Cypriot business registry appeared to take over from Bitzios in the management of Santinomo Limited.
“I can for sure state that I have never been involved in this transfer of, nor am I aware of any transfer of, Santinomo Limited shares in Intellexa SA to Thalestris Limited,” he told ‘Inside Story.’
“Further, I was never a shareholder and/or took any role active and/or passive role in Santinomo Limited. I can finally assure you that I don’t know and I have never met Mr. Bitzios.”
According to lawyers, familiar with the Cypriot legal framework, if Gambazzi’s claims are confirmed, then those responsible for the alleged transfer of the shares and its potential false certification, could face felony charges, the report says.
Bitzios could also be included in the US sanctions. The parliamentary majority has refused to summon Bitzios to testify as a witness in a parliamentary committee on the wiretapping scandal and has not yet been called to testify by judicial authorities, the report notes.
