An Athens court on Thursday convicted four defendants in Greece’s Predator spyware trial, delivering the first criminal verdict in a surveillance scandal that has raised persistent rule-of-law concerns and gripped the country for years. In a development that could substantially widen the investigation, the court agreed to forward the trial records to prosecutors for further examination of both the convicted defendants and other individuals potentially implicated in the case.
After 39 hearings before the Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of Athens, Presiding Judge Nikos Askianakis found Tal Dilian, Sara Hamou, Felix Bitzios and Giannis Lavranos guilty of multiple offenses tied to illegal interference with personal data systems and violations of the secrecy of communications.
Each defendant was sentenced to a total of 126 years and eight months in prison, with eight years to be served and the remainder suspended pending appeal.
Reading the decision from the bench, the judge said the verdict was based on the court’s assessment of the full body of evidence, particularly witness testimony and documentary material introduced during the trial. He said the court determined that the defendants acted jointly and in cooperation with third parties, carrying out the attributed acts with common intent. The detailed reasoning behind the ruling will be published once the decision is formally issued in writing.
How the Court Reached Its Decision
A significant procedural shift shaped the outcome. The court accepted the prosecutor’s proposal to reclassify the charges from “continued” offenses to “concurrent” offenses, a distinction in Greek criminal law that affects how separate acts are counted and sentenced.
The court determined that in 20 instances only test messages had been sent, meaning the alleged crimes could not be substantiated in those cases. One additional message sent on Jan. 11, 2021, contained a genuine link, and a similar message had been received by another individual.
From an initial 116 alleged targets, those exclusions reduced the number to 94. After accounting for overlapping identities, the court concluded that the concurrent offenses ultimately corresponded to 87 victims.
The judge also ordered a permanent cessation of prosecution for 108 individuals who did not file a formal complaint, as required under Greek law for certain privacy-related offenses.
The convictions concern misdemeanor crimes, including interference with a personal data filing system, violation of the confidentiality of telephone and oral communications, and illegal access to an information system or data. In each instance, the court found the acts were committed jointly and included both completed offenses and attempts.
Investigation Could Broaden
Beyond the convictions, the case could potentially now expand.
In a move that could significantly widen the scope of the scandal, the court agreed to forward the full trial record to prosecutors for further criminal scrutiny of both the convicted defendants and other individuals who surfaced during the proceedings.
The prosecutor told the court that evidence presented over months of testimony pointed to potential criminal responsibility extending beyond the original indictment. Among those identified for further examination is Emilios Kosmidis, whose testimony concerning the use of a prepaid card linked to the spyware activity was described as contradictory and unconvincing. Prosecutors will examine whether his actions amount to complicity and whether false testimony was given in court.
The referral also calls for scrutiny of additional individuals who, according to the prosecutor, may have had full knowledge of the surveillance operation. Citing the scale, organization and technical sophistication of the activity — as well as indications of possible involvement by foreign actors, specifically Israeli — the prosecutor said the evidence warranted examination of whether aspects of the case could fall under provisions of the Greek Penal Code relating to espionage.
Prosecutors will also review testimony linked to a parliamentary investigative committee and examine whether Intellexa’s alleged continued operations in Greece during 2023–2024 violate laws prohibiting the trafficking of certain surveillance software.
Who Has Been Convicted
- Tal Dilian: A former Israeli soldier and the founder of Intellexa, the company associated with the development and trading of the Predator spyware.
- Sara Hamou: Dilian’s former wife, who held a managerial role in Entellexa and also played a central role in establishing Cyprus as a hub for Intellexa’s activities. She also co-founded the skincare company Medovie, which says it blends traditional Chinese medicine with advanced Western research.
- Felix Bitzios: A businessman described as the beneficial owner of Intellexa.
- Giannis Lavranos: Linked to the company Krikel, which purchased the Predator spyware
Intellexa is the company at the center of the Predator spyware case. It was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 under then-President Joe Biden. The sanctions were lifted the following year by President Donald Trump.
