Colombia Launches Probe into Pegasus Spyware Scandal

Colombia’s attorney general has initiated an investigation into the alleged purchase and illegal use of Pegasus spyware by a national police unit. This follows President Gustavo Petro's revelation that $11 million in cash was used off the books to buy the software. The probe aims to uncover the details of the transaction.

Colombia's attorney general has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorized purchase and use of Pegasus spyware by a national police unit, as revealed in a statement on Thursday.

This investigation follows statements by President Gustavo Petro in a televised broadcast, where he disclosed that the national police unit had clandestinely acquired the spyware for $11 million in cash. Pegasus, developed by Israeli firm NSO, has been used globally to hack into the phones of various individuals, including civil society members, political opposition, and journalists over the past decade.

The current probe aims to determine whether the transaction between the police unit DIPOL and NSO was finalized, the origin of the funds, and the logistics involved in the cash transfer from Colombia to Israel, according to the attorney general's statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)