Rome prosecutors on Thursday requested a fast-track trial for Giulio and Francesca Maria Occhionero, siblings arrested January 9 on suspicion of carrying out cyber spying of politicians and VIPs.
The Occhioneros are charged with seeking information on State security, illegal access to computer systems, and illegal tapping of Internet and phone communications. The two are accused of snooping on the email and websites of politicians, institutions, public administrations, professional studios and national-level businessmen, judicial sources said.
Prosecutors say nuclear engineer Giulio Occhionero and his sister Francesca Maria were part of a cyber-espionage ring that for years collected sensitive data on politicians, public institutions and administrations, including ex-premiers Matteo Renzi and Mario Monti and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.
Computers used by people working for Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, were compromised as part of the hacking too.
The computers were allegedly hacked with a malware called 'Eyepyramid'.
Giulio Occhionero was the venerable master of the Paolo Ungari Masonic lodge.
Investigators believe that the espionage was not an isolated initiative by the arrested pair, saying they have found links to the so-called P4 power-seeking cliche and to wheeler-dealer Luigi Bisignani.
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