Mossad behind theft of Meloni, other Italian officials' data
5 Min Read
Meloni called the scheme "unacceptable" and a "threat to democracy," while Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto asked for an urgent parliamentary investigation.
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Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni arrives in the courtyard of the Italian government office Chigi Palace, to meet Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayeb in Rome on January 18, 2024. (AP)
Italy has been shaken by a massive espionage scandal in which a private research firm reportedly stole the data of politicians, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and "Israel's" Mossad has its fingerprints all over the scandal.
A firm comprised of current and former personnel of the security services in Italy is accused of obtaining data to blackmail politicians.
The Israeli Mossad was involved in dealings with this company, based in Milan.
Meloni called the scheme "unacceptable" and a "threat to democracy," while Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto asked for an urgent parliamentary investigation, fearing that state secrets would be compromised and emphasizing the information released was only the tip of the iceberg.
According to Italian media, the case was a high-level plot involving mafia members and intelligence officers, as well as foreign espionage services, such as the Mossad.
A former prominent police officer who runs Equalize, a private business intelligence firm, is the primary suspect in the investigation. He is accused of hacking the servers of government ministries and the police between 2019 and 2024 to create large files containing secrets and sensitive data that he sold or planned to sell to clients.
Most of the company's clients are large corporations or legal firms looking to gain an advantage, win a lawsuit, or extort money.
Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported on Wednesday that investigators intercepted a visit by an investigative company and two unidentified Israelis posing as intelligence agents who wanted to share information about Iranian gas that could be useful to the Italian government.
The newspaper further stated that the visit was handled by Lorezo De Marzio, a senior police official working for Italian intelligence, and that Israeli operatives had requested assistance in identifying the Russian hackers and Russian money transactions associated with the Wagner Group.
According to the Open website, the Israelis insisted that Russian oligarchs cease paying Prigozhin and provided the Italian business secret intelligence on alleged Iranian gas sales in exchange for a million euros. According to the website, the Vatican assisted in the plot against Russia.
Last year in May, Italian media reported that 10 Israelis who survived a boat capsize on an Italian lake were rushed to "Israel" aboard a military jet, amid circulated reports that the majority of those on board were former or present intelligence officers.
Italian media said a tourist boat on Italy's Lake Maggiore capsized reportedly due to a sudden whirlwind, killing four passengers, including a 50-year-old Israeli.
The Israeli news website Walla cited Italian reports as saying that 18 of the 20 survivors were former or present intelligence agents who were swiftly escorted out of hospitals and hotels "so as not to leave a trace."
Mossad espionage ops across the world
In September, Turkish security sources reported that Liridon Rexhepi, a Kosovan national and manager of Mossad's financial network in Turkiye, was arrested by Istanbul police.
Rexhepi was allegedly transferring funds to Mossad agents who used drones to film targets, conducted psychological operations against Palestinian politicians, and gathered intelligence on Syria.
The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) identified Liridon Rexhepi after detecting irregularities in his financial accounts, which revealed numerous deposits to Mossad operatives in Turkiye via Western Union. He was placed under MIT surveillance upon his entry into Turkiye on August 25, 2024, and was detained in Istanbul on August 30 in a joint operation with Istanbul police.
He was formally arrested on Tuesday.
Sources indicated that Rexhepi confessed during interrogation to conducting the money transfers.
MIT operations have revealed that Mossad’s field agents in Turkiye conduct their money transactions through Eastern European countries, particularly Kosovo. The funds, transferred from Kosovo, are then sent to sources in Syria and paid with cryptocurrency. Rexhepi is the first high-profile Mossad operative arrested in Turkiye this year, as the country has intensified its efforts against suspected Mossad members.
Since January, Turkish authorities have detained, arrested, or charged dozens of individuals suspected of having ties to "Israel’s" Mossad, most of whom are Turkish nationals. This includes seven suspects detained in January, six charged in March, and two arrested in April.
Ankara is concerned that Mossad may be recruiting operatives on Turkish soil to target foreign nationals, with media reports indicating that some Hamas members are in Turkiye. It is worth noting that the country maintains its relationship with Hamas and does not classify the group as a terrorist organization, in contrast to the stance of European countries and the United States.
