A new forensic analysis from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab reveals that a member of the European Parliament investigating spyware abuse was later targeted with the same technology he was scrutinizing.

Stelios Kouloglou, a Greek MEP and member of the European Parliament’s PEGA Committee, which was formed to investigate the misuse of Pegasus and other spyware tools, reportedly had his iPhone infected multiple times between 2022 and 2023.

The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israel’s NSO Group, is capable of infiltrating mobile devices to access messages, calls, microphone, camera, and other sensitive data.

According to the report, Kouloglou’s device was first compromised while he was actively participating in committee work, including hearings and investigative travel related to spyware abuses across Europe.He later received Apple threat notifications indicating he had been targeted by sophisticated spyware.The analysis also suggests his phone was reinfected again in 2023 during a critical phase of the committee’s work.Researchers did not conclusively identify who was behind the attack, though they ruled out clear evidence of Greek government involvement.

Citizen Lab noted overlaps between the targeting of Kouloglou and other spyware campaigns affecting journalists and activists in Eastern Europe, raising concerns about broader surveillance networks.The incident highlights the vulnerability of political institutions investigating digital surveillance abuses.EU lawmakers involved in the PEGA Committee warned that such targeting could compromise parliamentary confidentiality and democratic oversight.

The case also underscores the continued global spread of mercenary spyware, despite growing awareness and policy discussions aimed at limiting its use.

Experts cited in the report described the situation as evidence that lawmakers and institutions remain insufficiently protected against advanced surveillance threats.