The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned five individuals and one entity associated with the Intellexa Consortium for their involvement in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology. This action is part of broader U.S. government efforts to counter commercial spyware vendors.
"The United States will not tolerate the reckless propagation of disruptive technologies that threatens our national security and undermines the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens," said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. "We will continue to hold accountable those that seek to enable the proliferation of exploitative technologies, while also encouraging the responsible development of technologies that align with international standards."
This move aligns with various U.S. Government actions aimed at curbing misuse of commercial spyware, including Executive Order 14093 which prohibits U.S. Government use of such spyware if it poses risks to national security.
The Intellexa Consortium is known for its Predator spyware, capable of accessing data from targeted devices through sophisticated attacks requiring no user interaction. The consortium's clients include state-sponsored actors and governments, targeting officials, journalists, policy experts, and opposition politicians.
Key figures within the consortium include Tal Jonathan Dilian, Felix Bitzios, Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi, Merom Harpaz, Panagiota Karaoli, Artemis Artemiou¸ as well as Aliada Group Inc., a British Virgin Islands-based company involved in significant financial transactions within the network.
These individuals and entities are being designated under Executive Order 13694 for engaging in cyber-enabled activities posing significant threats to U.S. national security.
As a result of these sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to these designated persons within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. Transactions involving these properties by U.S. persons or within the United States are generally prohibited unless authorized by OFAC.
Financial institutions engaging with these sanctioned entities may expose themselves to further sanctions or enforcement actions.
OFAC emphasizes that its sanctions aim not only at punishment but also at promoting positive behavioral changes among those designated.
For more information on seeking removal from an OFAC list or details about today's designations can be found on OFAC's website.
