Israel’s Mossad Implicated in Espionage Scandal in Italy
Israeli foreign intelligence agency Mossad has reportedly been implicated in an espionage scandal targeting Italian prime minister and senior officials, Yedioth Ahronoth reported yesterday.
According to the paper, Mossad has been involved in deals with the Milan-based private investigation firm which is made up of current and former senior members of the security services and who have stolen personal information on politicians, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and public figures, to be used for extortion.
The paper said at least four people are under arrest and dozens more under investigation, adding that cyber security experts and hackers may have breached the servers of Italy’s Interior Ministry.
Italian media outlets described the case as a “conspiracy of the highest level that involves members of the mafia and officials in the intelligence services, along with foreign intelligence services including the Mossad.”
Meloni described the plot as “unacceptable” and a “threat to democracy.”
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto demanded an urgent parliamentary probe, concerned that state secrets may have been compromised, warning that the personal information that was exposed is the tip of the iceberg.
According to a report by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Wednesday, investigators intercepted a visit to the investigation firm by two unidentified Israelis who were described as intelligence agents, who wanted to deal in information regarding Iranian gas that may be of interest to Italy’s government gas company, ENI.
The newspaper said a former senior member of the police who heads Equalize, a private business intelligence firm, is the primary suspect in the investigation who is accused of breaching the servers of government ministries and the police between 2019-2024, to gather secrets and sensitive information which he sold or planned to sell to his clients.
The newspaper said the visit was coordinated by a senior member of the police who worked for Italian intelligence, Mossad’s counterpart.
