Difference between revisions of "Sara Hamou"
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In October 2026 [[Citizen Lab]] reported that between 2020 and March 2026 the shareholders of [[Discover-Tech]] included [[Chaia Services Ltd]], a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Citizen Lab said it could not access Chaia's corporate records, and linked the company to Hamou on the strength of a ''Haaretz'' investigation.<ref name="CLDiscover">Bill Marczak et al., [https://citizenlab.ca/research/how-discover-tech-turned-targeted-ads-into-a-pipeline-for-spyware/ How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware], ''Citizen Lab'', 15 October 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.</ref> | In October 2026 [[Citizen Lab]] reported that between 2020 and March 2026 the shareholders of [[Discover-Tech]] included [[Chaia Services Ltd]], a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Citizen Lab said it could not access Chaia's corporate records, and linked the company to Hamou on the strength of a ''Haaretz'' investigation.<ref name="CLDiscover">Bill Marczak et al., [https://citizenlab.ca/research/how-discover-tech-turned-targeted-ads-into-a-pipeline-for-spyware/ How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware], ''Citizen Lab'', 15 October 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.</ref> | ||
| − | That investigation, by Gur Megiddo of ''TheMarker'', was published by ''Haaretz'' on 2 March 2024. It concerned an anonymous complaint, sent in January 2024 to Israeli and US export-control authorities, which alleged that [[Eric Banoun]] and [[Maria Pulera]] had sold spyware without permits. A reseller agreement attached to the complaint named Chaia Services Ltd as the company through which the technology was sold. ''Haaretz'' described Hamou as "Dilian's ex-wife" and reported that she "is registered, under the agreement, as a Chaia director, and her signature also ostensibly appears on that document". It added: "it is not only Banoun and Pulera who allege that her signature is a forgery | + | That investigation, by Gur Megiddo of ''TheMarker'', was published by ''Haaretz'' on 2 March 2024. It concerned an anonymous complaint, sent in January 2024 to Israeli and US export-control authorities, which alleged that [[Eric Banoun]] and [[Maria Pulera]] had sold spyware without permits. A reseller agreement attached to the complaint named Chaia Services Ltd as the company through which the technology was sold. ''Haaretz'' described Hamou as "Dilian's ex-wife" and reported that she "is registered, under the agreement, as a Chaia director, and her signature also ostensibly appears on that document". It added: "it is not only Banoun and Pulera who allege that her signature is a forgery – a lawyer for Hamou also claimed, in response to TheMarker, that she never signed the agreement."<ref name="HaaretzMegiddo2024" /> |
''Haaretz'' cautioned that "even if it were proved that her signature on the agreement involving Chaia happens to be authentic, that in itself is not proof of her former husband's involvement". It noted that Hamou had worked as a financial services provider for companies in Cyprus, including acting as a director on behalf of clients, so that her signature "may also indicate that she was only providing services to Chaia's beneficial owners, whoever they may be". The paper also reported that ICIJ's Cyprus Confidential investigation in November 2023 had found her registered as a director, and at times as the owner, of more than 20 of Dilian's companies.<ref name="HaaretzMegiddo2024" /> | ''Haaretz'' cautioned that "even if it were proved that her signature on the agreement involving Chaia happens to be authentic, that in itself is not proof of her former husband's involvement". It noted that Hamou had worked as a financial services provider for companies in Cyprus, including acting as a director on behalf of clients, so that her signature "may also indicate that she was only providing services to Chaia's beneficial owners, whoever they may be". The paper also reported that ICIJ's Cyprus Confidential investigation in November 2023 had found her registered as a director, and at times as the owner, of more than 20 of Dilian's companies.<ref name="HaaretzMegiddo2024" /> | ||
Latest revision as of 22:17, 29 October 2026
Corporate services provider and former Intellexa business manager, convicted in the Greek Predator case
| Sara Hamou
| |
|---|---|
| Image |  Sara Hamou, in a photograph published by ICIJ in August 2025 |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Corporate services provider; business manager |
| Known for | Business manager of the Intellexa consortium; convicted in the Greek Predator wiretapping case, 2026 |
| Spouse(s) | Tal Dilian (former) |
Sara Hamou (also reported as Sara Aleksandra Hamou and Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou) is a corporate services provider and the former business manager of the Intellexa spyware consortium, which was founded by her former husband, Tal Dilian. ICIJ has described her as "a corporate offshoring specialist" who "played a key role in establishing a base of operations for the company in Cyprus". In February 2026 an Athens court convicted her, with Dilian and two others, in the Greek Predator wiretapping case; the sentence was suspended pending appeal.[1][2]
Her name has also been linked to Chaia Services Ltd, a British Virgin Islands company that was a shareholder of the Israeli advertising firm Discover-Tech. That link rests on a reseller agreement reported by Haaretz in March 2024, which names her as a Chaia director. Her lawyer says her signature on it is forged and that she never signed it.[3]
Intellexa and Greece
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou in March 2024 in connection with Intellexa. According to ICIJ, the sanctions on her were lifted in late 2025.[4][1]
On 26 February 2026 an Athens misdemeanour court convicted Tal Dilian, Hamou, Felix Bitzios and Giannis Lavranos of breaching the confidentiality of telephone communications and of illegally accessing information systems. Each was sentenced to eight years to be served, suspended pending appeal. The BBC described Dilian and Hamou as Israelis.[1][2]
Chaia Services and Discover-Tech
In October 2026 Citizen Lab reported that between 2020 and March 2026 the shareholders of Discover-Tech included Chaia Services Ltd, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Citizen Lab said it could not access Chaia's corporate records, and linked the company to Hamou on the strength of a Haaretz investigation.[5]
That investigation, by Gur Megiddo of TheMarker, was published by Haaretz on 2 March 2024. It concerned an anonymous complaint, sent in January 2024 to Israeli and US export-control authorities, which alleged that Eric Banoun and Maria Pulera had sold spyware without permits. A reseller agreement attached to the complaint named Chaia Services Ltd as the company through which the technology was sold. Haaretz described Hamou as "Dilian's ex-wife" and reported that she "is registered, under the agreement, as a Chaia director, and her signature also ostensibly appears on that document". It added: "it is not only Banoun and Pulera who allege that her signature is a forgery – a lawyer for Hamou also claimed, in response to TheMarker, that she never signed the agreement."[3]
Haaretz cautioned that "even if it were proved that her signature on the agreement involving Chaia happens to be authentic, that in itself is not proof of her former husband's involvement". It noted that Hamou had worked as a financial services provider for companies in Cyprus, including acting as a director on behalf of clients, so that her signature "may also indicate that she was only providing services to Chaia's beneficial owners, whoever they may be". The paper also reported that ICIJ's Cyprus Confidential investigation in November 2023 had found her registered as a director, and at times as the owner, of more than 20 of Dilian's companies.[3]
Intellexa told TheMarker: "This company does not now have, and has never had, commercial ties with Chaia Services Ltd." Banoun called the allegations "unfounded and baseless" and said they were based on material, "most of which is fake", that "originates with a person with a proven criminal record". Banoun and Pulera told the paper that the complaint was the work of blackmailers. Haaretz reported that on 7 January 2024, the day before the complaint was sent, Tamer Esmat Qursha had emailed Banoun demanding $3 million and threatening to expose him.[3]
See also
- Discover-Tech
- Intellexa
- Tal Dilian
- Eric Banoun
- Cyber and tech firms founded by ex Unit 8200 or occupation forces veterans
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 David Kenner and Micah Reddy, Greek court convicts Intellexa founder Tal Dilian, three others in wiretapping scandal, ICIJ, 26 February 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kostas Koukoumakas, Four convicted over spyware scandal that shook Greece, BBC News, 26 February 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Gur Megiddo, 'Send $3 Million or I'll Expose You': A Businessman, a Filmmaker and an Alleged Israeli Spyware Deal Gone Awry, Haaretz (English edition of a TheMarker investigation), 2 March 2024 (archived copy), accessed 22 October 2026.
- ↑ Cyber-related Designations, US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, 5 March 2024.
- ↑ Bill Marczak et al., How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware, Citizen Lab, 15 October 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.