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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