Mossad and UK behind Italian ‘blackmail’ spying scandal

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ER Editor:  Here are two takes on this – The Cradle, and Politico (MSM alert).

Italian private intelligence firm, Equalize, seems to be behind the hacking of classified state security information, the information from which was to be sold to interested buyers. Behind it appear to be several countries, including Israel, the UK and the Vatican (the big three?). The EU scandal Qatargate is mentioned. See our coverage here. Russia has naturally been a target, as have many Italian figures, with the holders of this information being potentially able to hold the country to ransom.

“A former senior member of the police who heads Equalize, a private business intelligence firm, is the primary suspect in the investigation and is accused of breaching the servers of government ministries and the police since 2019 and until 2024, to build massive files, packed… https://t.co/5V0PXF1WiH

— Robin Monotti (@robinmonotti) November 1, 2024

A reminder that Italy was at the centre of hacking and probably changing voter data via Leonardo satellite link in the 2020 US election, with other countries implicated. We feel resonance from that in this story. 

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(Photo credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Equalize allegedly collected numerous classified files that contain sensitive information about prominent Italians to sell to clients – including major companies and law firms seeking information to gain an advantage over competitors, win court cases, or for blackmail and extortion.

Prime Minister Meloni described the alleged scheme as “unacceptable” and “a threat to democracy.”

At least four people are currently under arrest, while dozens more are under investigation. Fearing that Equalize may have obtained state secrets, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto ordered an urgent parliamentary investigation.

Corsetto added that the stolen personal information was just the “tip of the iceberg.”

Politico reported that, according to the leaked wiretaps, members of the hacking network met with two Israeli agents at the firm’s office in Milan in February 2023 to discuss a deal worth 1 million euros.

“The job was a cyber operation against Russian targets, including President Vladimir Putin’s unidentified ‘right-hand man,’ and unearthing the financial trail leading from the bank accounts of wealthy figures to the Russian mercenary group Wagner. The information was then supposed to be passed on to the Vatican,” Politico wrote.

In 2022, Wagner – founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin – mobilized mercenaries to fight on behalf of Russia against Ukraine. Prigozhin was assassinated shortly after carrying out a mutiny where forces were sent to Moscow. (ER: For the record, we don’t believe Prigozhin was assassinated. He was rumoured to show up in Africa some time later.)

According to the leaked wiretaps, the Israelis had offered to provide original documents from the “Qatargate” scandal, in which European Parliament officials, lobbyists, and their families were bribed to act on behalf of the gas-rich Gulf state in Brussels, Politico added.

The Israelis also allegedly offered Equalize information on the “illicit trafficking of Iranian gas with Italian companies,” potentially benefiting one of its major clients, national energy company Eni.

According to a report released on Wednesday by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, two unidentified Israeli intelligence agents were intercepted while visiting the firm.

The Israelis’ visit was coordinated by Lorezo De Marcio, a senior member of the police who worked for Italian intelligence.

Source

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Vatican and Israel implicated in Italian hacking scandal, leaked files reveal

Police wiretaps show the sprawling global nature of an investigation into Milan-based private detectives and their clients.

HANNAH ROBERTS & ANTOANETA ROUSSI for POLITICO.EU

ROME — A massive hacking scandal that has engulfed Italy is now threatening to spill beyond its borders, sucking in Israel, the Vatican, the United Kingdom and Lithuania.

New claims have been made via police wiretaps that foreign powers were among those using a Milan-based private investigative firm to penetrate state security databases with the aim of obtaining secret information about financial activity, private bank transactions and police investigations.

Italian intelligence firm Equalize, which allegedly hacked information on thousands of people including politicians, entrepreneurs, athletes and even musicians, is accused of working for Israeli intelligence and the Vatican, police wiretaps leaked to Italian media show.

Members of the hacking network, including Nunzio Samuele Calamucci — the man prosecutors accuse of orchestrating the scheme — met with two Israeli agents at the firm’s office in Milan in February 2023 to discuss a task worth €1 million, according to the leaked wiretaps. (ER: ‘Nunzio’ is a type of Vatican diplomat.)

The job was a cyber operation against Russian targets, including President Vladimir Putin’s unidentified “right-hand man,” and unearthing the financial trail leading from the bank accounts of wealthy figures to the Russian mercenary group Wagner. The information was then supposed to be passed on to the Vatican.

It’s unclear from the leaked documents why Israeli intelligence and the Vatican were involved with the controversial Milan firm and what their reasons were for soliciting information on Russian targets, but their presence in the dossier has dramatically expanded the scope of Italy’s sprawling investigation.

The Vatican did not respond to a written request for comment from POLITICO.

According to the wiretaps, the Israelis suggested a partnership to exchange information, offering “all of the original documents” from the EU’s so-called Qatargate scandal, which involved allegations that people linked to the European Parliament accepted money or gifts in exchange for doing the Gulf state’s bidding in Brussels.

They also offered the Italian firm information that could help one of Equalizer’s alleged clients, the Italian energy giant Eni, with information on the “illicit trafficking of Iranian gas with Italian companies.”

The Israeli Embassy in Rome declined to comment.

Eni confirmed in a statement that it had hired Equalize for “an investigative assignment to support its strategy and defense in various criminal and civil cases” but said it was not aware of any illicit activities by the company.

Task force, assemble!

Italian politicians are up in arms about the mega hack-for-hire.

CONTINUE READING HERE

Featured image source: https://www.sofx.com/italian-hack-for-hire-scandal-unveils-illegal-surveillance-foreign-intelligence-interest/

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