WASHINGTON — The Trump administration removed three former Intellexa-linked executives from the Treasury Department’s sanctions blacklist, a move that lifts U.S. restrictions tied to the Predator spyware network, according to a Reuters report. Officials said the delistings followed petitions for reconsideration and claims the individuals had separated from the consortium, reopening debate over how aggressively the United States should enforce Intellexa sanctions against commercial surveillance firms, Dec. 30, 2025.
What the Intellexa sanctions rollback does — and doesn’t do
The Office of Foreign Assets Control removed Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou, Andrea Nicola Costantino Hermes Gambazzi and Merom Harpaz from its Specially Designated Nationals list in an update posted by OFAC. Under U.S. rules, SDN designations generally block any U.S.-linked property interests and prohibit many transactions by U.S. persons — meaning the delistings effectively unwind those restrictions for the three individuals.
The action, however, is not a broad clearing of the Intellexa Consortium. Intellexa-linked entities and other figures previously swept up in Intellexa sanctions remain listed, including founder Tal Dilian, according to Reuters. A U.S. official told Reuters the removals were part of a “normal administrative process” after a reconsideration request and said the individuals “demonstrated measures to separate themselves” from Intellexa.
Cybersecurity outlets also noted the limits of the decision. CyberScoop reported that the delistings were folded into an OFAC sanctions update that otherwise focused on unrelated targets, with no detailed public explanation beyond the reconsideration process described by a U.S. official.
Why Intellexa sanctions became a pressure point
Intellexa sanctions were designed to curb the spread of “mercenary” spyware marketed to government customers and accused of being used against journalists, dissidents and officials. The Biden administration’s March 2024 sanctions announcement described Predator as enabling deep access to infected devices — including data extraction and location tracking — and framed the move as a deterrent against misuse by authoritarian regimes, Reuters reported at the time.
Those policy arguments were fueled by a steady stream of allegations linked to Predator. In Greece, the scandal around alleged political and journalistic surveillance became a touchstone for European scrutiny of spyware exports and oversight. Greek intelligence officials acknowledged monitoring a journalist amid scrutiny of Predator-linked targeting, Reuters reported in 2022.
Separately, investigators and U.S. officials have cited attempts to use Predator infrastructure against American targets. The Washington Post reported in 2023 that Vietnam-linked activity sought to lure targets — including U.S. lawmakers — through links connected to Predator campaigns, according to its October 2023 reporting.
Critics warn about mixed signals
Advocates who pushed for tougher Intellexa sanctions say reversals can undercut deterrence if they appear routine or opaque. Recorded Future News’ The Record cited warnings from critics that easing restrictions on individuals tied to Predator risks signaling that alleged spyware abuses may carry limited consequences, even as researchers continue tracking suspected Predator activity in multiple countries.
For now, the administration’s move is narrowly drawn: three names removed, while the larger Intellexa sanctions framework remains in place. Whether the rollback is a one-off administrative outcome or an early sign of a broader shift in U.S. spyware policy is likely to be tested in future OFAC updates — and in how aggressively Washington pursues additional designations tied to commercial surveillance tools.
