The US government has removed sanctions on three executives previously connected to the controversial spyware consortium Intellexa, a move that has drawn international attention. The executives—Sara Hamou, Andrea Gambazzi, and Merom Harpaz—had been sanctioned last year for their roles in managing, distributing, or leading the consortium, which develops highly invasive spyware.
The sanctions were initially imposed by the Biden administration in 2025. The US Treasury Department described Intellexa as a “complex international web of decentralized companies” responsible for building and marketing spyware capable of extensive surveillance. The consortium’s software has been accused of targeting journalists, political figures, and government officials in multiple countries.
The Background of Intellexa and Predator Spyware
Intellexa is a network of companies founded by Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence official. Its main product, Predator spyware, has drawn scrutiny worldwide due to its ability to monitor phones, computers, and other devices without the knowledge of the user. Investigations have linked Predator to alleged surveillance of journalists and opposition figures in Greece, causing significant concern over privacy and human rights.
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In addition, reports have claimed that the Vietnamese government attempted to hack members of the US Congress in 2023 using Predator spyware. These incidents highlight the global reach of Intellexa’s technology and the potential risks it poses to governments and private citizens. The consortium has been described as highly decentralized, making it difficult to trace control or ownership fully.
Despite the controversy surrounding Intellexa, Tal Dilian, the founder, remains on the US sanctions list and has not publicly commented on the alleged surveillance or hacking incidents. He has denied involvement in certain cases, but the accusations continue to attract scrutiny from authorities and the media.
Lifting of Sanctions on Executives
The US Treasury recently announced that sanctions had been lifted on Sara Hamou, Andrea Gambazzi, and Merom Harpaz. According to a US official speaking on condition of anonymity, the removal was part of the “normal administrative process” following petitions for reconsideration by the individuals. The official added that each executive had demonstrated steps to separate themselves from Intellexa’s activities.
Hamou was accused of providing managerial services to Intellexa. Gambazzi’s company allegedly held distribution rights for Predator spyware. Harpaz was described as a top executive in the consortium. While the sanctions on these three executives have been lifted, Intellexa representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the individuals themselves did not reply to messages sent to them or their representatives.
Previous Sanctions and Global Concerns
When the US initially imposed sanctions, seven individuals linked to Intellexa were targeted. The Treasury Department argued that the consortium enabled the spread of commercial spyware and surveillance technologies to authoritarian regimes. The software was reported to have been used in efforts to covertly monitor US officials, journalists, and policy experts.
Intellexa’s Predator spyware has been at the center of several high-profile incidents. Investigations have suggested it was used to monitor journalists and opposition figures in Greece. Reports of attempted hacks on US lawmakers in 2023 further highlighted the global concerns around commercial spyware and its potential misuse.
The recent move partially reverses the previous sanctions by removing three names from the list while keeping the consortium’s founder, Tal Dilian, under sanction. This ensures that the main source of Intellexa’s operations remains under US restrictions.
The lifting of sanctions on these executives draws attention to the complexity of regulating international spyware companies. Although the individuals reportedly separated themselves from Intellexa, the spyware’s controversial past continues to pose challenges for governments and privacy advocates around the world.