No criminal offence found in Videogate, but hunt continues for who ordered it

in-cyprus corruptionIsraelrussiaTop Newstrial No criminal offence found in Videogate, but hunt continues for who ordered it Video2 Relevant News No criminal offence found in Videogate, but hunt continues for who ordered it 21 July 2026 Cyprus to extradite 45-year-old to UK for spying on British Bases 21 July 2026 Dhekelia power fault triggers electricity cuts in various parts of Cyprus 21 July 2026 newsroom 21 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber No criminal offence emerged from six months of investigation into the Videogate affair, Independent Criminal Investigator Andreas Paschalides announced, though he left one issue open for the Attorney General to examine involving legislation on corruption. The open issue concerns possible corruption through promises and actions in breach of the Council of Europe’s Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (Ratification) Law 23(III)/2000. Paschalides said what could be heard on the recordings amounted to “empty talk and bluster,” made with the aim of creating a sense of importance around the individuals involved for personal financial gain. However, the announcement is not the end of the road. The investigation continues with a single aim, to identify the client of the Israeli firm that “trapped” so many individuals and staged the entire affair, and to uncover their motives. He investigated five separate issues raised by the video, without finding anything improper: the legality of not including a Russian oligarch on the EU sanctions list, a tower in Limassol built by a well-known family, contributions to the three candidates in the 2023 presidential election, the Lobbying law, and a fund managed by the President’s wife. On all five, investigators concluded nothing had emerged, with the exception of the issue involving promises made, on which reservations remain. According to information obtained by this newspaper, the Criminal Investigator and the police investigative team he worked with have a specific direction regarding who gave the order to set up the whole scenario and their motives. Suspicion is directed at a person known in Cyprus who has also been involved in other matters relating to the country. For this reason, Paschalides asked the Attorney General for an extension of his appointment, which was approved. This, combined with the fact that Russia, which has run a campaign against EU member states since 2021, features in the case, appears to be steering the investigation, though another country hostile to Cyprus is not ruled out. Immunity for all One element to emerge from the announcement concerns the granting of immunity to everyone behind the production of the video, from the Israeli firm’s executives to the agents who operated in various countries. The immunity, granted by the heads of the Law Office, the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, also covered legislation on the processing of personal data. With immunity granted to Black Cube, none of those involved in the video can now take legal action against them on any matter, since the agreement covers all issues. The immunity was granted so the firm would hand over the entire 26-hour video, giving investigators access to all the material and full knowledge of what was actually said, since only eight minutes of footage had been made public through the X account of Emily Thomson. Investigators are now expected to carry out further examinations regarding the Israeli firm’s client. Specialised checks are expected to determine who is behind the X account, or at least to reveal indications of who ordered the firm to stage the case using purported investors, including payments for services, in order to prepare the video material. AG to review findings All the suggestions and reservations of the Criminal Investigator will be studied, Attorney General Giorgos Savvides said, regarding the findings Paschalides submitted last Friday. According to a statement from his office yesterday, the findings report, which concerns the investigation into the content of the video, was submitted to the Attorney General of the Republic on July 17, 2026. This aspect, along with the suggestions and reservations of the Independent Criminal Investigator and the police investigative team, will be studied and evaluated by the Law Office of the Republic. The report also includes a recommendation from Paschalides that the Attorney General extend his appointment so that, working with police, he can continue investigating the aspect concerning the identity of the client who commissioned the video, and their aims and motives. Considering the material before him and Paschalides’ recommendation, the Attorney General decided to approve the request and extend the appointment until December 31, 2026. It is clear that a final effort will be made, through other means, to find the person who hired the Israeli firm to carry out its actions through its agents. Video footage from the filming locations has already been requested, the Israeli firm’s agents have been identified, and efforts will be made to reach the mastermind who, according to the criminal investigators, targeted Cyprus. Black Cube insists on authenticity of evidence Black Cube, the private intelligence firm linked to the making of the video at the centre of the Videogate affair, is standing by the authenticity of the evidence it presented. The company’s statement followed the publication of Paschalides’ announcement, which found that the footage made public on January 8, 2026 was not authentic but had been edited. In its response, Black Cube claims the material it gathered reveals corruption by Cyfield in Cyprus, adding that its authenticity had been confirmed by Cypriot authorities. The company says it expects the Law Office’s final assessment and expresses confidence that the process will bring those responsible before justice and help create a cleaner business environment. Black Cube describes itself as a private intelligence firm providing tailored services to clients with business activities worldwide, supporting litigation, arbitration and economic crime cases. It adds that it receives legal advice in every jurisdiction in which it operates, to ensure the lawfulness of its actions. It concludes by saying it will continue to expose cases of fraud, corruption and asset stripping globally, as it says it has done for the past 15 years. 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