A private intelligence company founded by former members of Israeli intelligence services confirmed its involvement in the operation that targeted state officials and business interests in Cyprus, saying that it “wanted to expose corruption”, according to a report by Reuters on Saturday April 11 2026.
A close associate of Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides resigned in January, after a video published online showed him discussing investment projects in Cyprus.
The Israeli Black Cube, which a report by the Cypriot newspaper Politis links to the case of the “Emily Thompson” video, is not an unknown company appearing for the first time in politically or commercially sensitive cases.
The tainted history of the agents’ company
On the contrary, for years its name has repeatedly appeared in international reports, court decisions, and reports by major technology platforms, linked to surveillance operations, fake identities, covert recordings, and attempts to collect “sensitive” information on behalf of clients.
On its official website, Black Cube presents itself as a “global boutique firm” specializing in the collection and analysis of information for high-profile cases, such as litigation, arbitration, and white-collar crime.
It also states that it was founded in 2011 by “veterans of elite Israeli intelligence units” and that its agents speak more than 30 languages. In other words, it defines itself not as a classic security company, but as a private intelligence firm that undertakes complex information-gathering missions where there is no easily accessible documented material (“paper trail”).
It is precisely this “gray zone” that has made Black Cube internationally known.
Terrible reputation, maximum effectiveness
An experienced senior executive with years of experience in the intelligence field, working in major companies in Western and Central Europe, commented sarcastically on Black Cube: “terrible reputation, great effectiveness”.
The case that brought the company into the global spotlight was that of Harvey Weinstein.
In 2017, Reuters, citing a report by The New Yorker, reported that Weinstein had hired Black Cube to prevent the publication of allegations against him for sexual abuse.
At the time, a member of the company’s advisory board publicly stated that “in hindsight, it was wrong that we took on this job”, acknowledging the damage to its reputation.
The Meta report
The image of a company using fake profiles and cover identities was further reinforced by later findings from Meta.
In a report on the surveillance-for-hire industry, Meta stated that it removed approximately 300 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to Black Cube.
According to the report, the company used fictitious personas tailored to its targets, posing among others as postgraduate students, NGO officials, human rights defenders, or film and television producers.
The aim was to extract personal emails and create channels for further social engineering or phishing techniques.
This activity reportedly extended geographically and involved sectors such as health, energy, mining, as well as NGOs and Palestinian activists.
Fake investors and the network of operations
Of particular importance for the Cypriot case is the fact that Meta classified Black Cube among companies operating in the stages of reconnaissance, engagement, and exploitation.
That is, not only in monitoring targets, but also in actively approaching them with deception or manipulation techniques, with the aim of gathering information or gaining access to accounts and devices.
This element shows similarities with the pattern described in the Cypriot report about “fake investors” who built credibility through successive contacts.
However, the connection remains, for now, at the level of journalistic information.
The case in Romania
Another important chapter concerns Romania. In 2022, according to The Times of Israel, the company’s co-founders Dan Zorella and Avi Yanus, along with an employee, received suspended prison sentences after an agreement with the authorities, in a case of intimidation of the then head of the anti-corruption authority, Laura Kövesi, later the European Chief Prosecutor.
The same report states that lower-level staff had already been convicted, while one of the founders is said to have admitted giving instructions to attempt hacking her email.
Black Cube argued that it had been hired by a senior Romanian official and that it subsequently ceased cyber activities, adopting stricter client selection procedures.
The case in Canada
At the level of civil disputes, a decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Canada records that Black Cube allegedly participated in a surveillance and “sting” operation against opposing parties and even a judge.
According to the decision, agents allegedly followed Judge Frank Newbould, attempted to entrap him by posing as a prospective client, and secretly recorded meetings with him. It also describes an undercover approach operation, where operatives presented themselves as representatives of a European private equity fund.
The company’s name also appeared in American reports regarding attempts to gather information on former officials of the Obama administration who had supported the Iran nuclear deal.
The New Yorker reported that operatives of Black Cube approached individuals from the circle of Ben Rhodes and Colin Kahl using fake identities. Subsequently, members of Congress sent a letter requesting explanations regarding reports of “dirty ops”.
Black Cube denied that it was acting for political purposes.
In 2023, LinkedIn publicly accused Black Cube of a campaign using fake personas and fake job postings targeting Hungarian activists and journalists before the 2022 elections.
According to Reuters, the company allegedly created a network of fake profiles to gather information and organize covert recordings. The company stated that it operates only in litigation and white-collar crime cases, based on legal advice.
In 2026, Black Cube returned to the spotlight with reports in Slovenia.
Reuters reported that there were allegations of the presence of its operatives before critical elections, with the prime minister speaking of intervention by “foreign services”. The case did not remain at the level of allegations: on March 26 2026, SOVA, the Intelligence and Security Service of Slovenia, officially confirmed “undeniable” foreign influence in the elections, presenting material linking Black Cube operatives to visits to the headquarters of the opposition.
The material was handed over to prosecutorial authorities and the police. Black Cube did not respond to a request for comment, with the case remaining under investigation.
The common thread in all these cases is not necessarily proof of legal violations in every country, but the repeated description of a specific methodology: use of fake identities, building trust, covert contacts, recordings, and social engineering techniques to collect critical information. Black Cube maintains that it operates legally and within the framework of each jurisdiction.
The broader pattern of private intelligence services
In this context, Black Cube’s reference to the Cypriot “Videogate” case adds increased weight to the case. Not because it proves who the client was or the ultimate objective, but because it places the case within a broader international pattern of private intelligence operations specializing in building trust relationships in order to collect sensitive data and conversations.
The statement of Black Cube
Black Cube is a private intelligence company that provides customized services exclusively to clients engaged in business activities worldwide, supporting litigation, arbitration, and white-collar crime cases.
Black Cube receives legal advice in every jurisdiction in which it operates to ensure the legality of its activities.
Corruption is a phenomenon that harms economies and obstructs legitimate business activity. Black Cube is proud to have exposed corruption committed by Cyfield in Cyprus and to contribute to creating a cleaner business environment. Black Cube has cooperated with Cypriot authorities and is confident that they will uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.
Black Cube will continue to expose fraud, corruption, and asset misappropriation in all its cases worldwide, as it has successfully done for the past 15 years.
A businessman also appeared suggesting that he had direct access to Nikos Christodoulides, and a former minister explaining how one makes “donations” to the government. Those who appeared in the eight-minute video denied any wrongdoing.
The Israeli company Black Cube claims that it participated in the preparation of the video. In a statement to Cypriot media, which was also sent to Reuters, Black Cube states that it is “proud” to have exposed “corruption” and helped in “creating a cleaner business environment on the island”.
“Black Cube has cooperated with the Cypriot authorities and is confident that they will reach the truth and bring those responsible to justice,” it said. It did not respond to a Reuters question regarding who its clients were.
Black Cube clarifies that it receives legal advice in every jurisdiction in which it operates to ensure the legality of its activities. Its involvement was first revealed on Friday April 10 by the newspaper Politis of Cyprus.
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