In early 2022, Greek investigative journalist Thanasis Koukakis noticed that his mobile phone was not working properly. Koukakis, who mainly works on corruption and money laundering issues in the banking sector, instead of modifying it, decided to send the device to the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, where they study digital threats against members of civil society. The results were conclusive: the mobile phone was infected with spyware. predator.
The scandal hit the mainstream press and international media when, a few months later, the European Parliament services, during a routine check, informed Nikos Androulakis, then MEP and president of the Greek Socialist Party (PASOK), that fingerprints had been found on his mobile phone. predator.