Investigation: Corruption video may have been an attempt to discredit Cyprus

An independent investigator concluded that a video published at the beginning of the year, which alleged corruption in Cyprus, may have been part of a targeted campaign against the state.

The covertly recorded video was published on social media on 8 January. It shows a senior official, a former energy minister and a businessman speaking with people posing as potential investors. The conversation addressed possible investments and political donations, while two of the participants claimed to have ties to the country’s top leadership.

All three rejected the allegations. However, after the video was published, Charalambos Charalambous, who served as senior adviser to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, resigned.

In April, the Israeli private intelligence company Black Cube, founded by former members of Israel’s intelligence services, confirmed its involvement in producing the video, but refused to disclose who had commissioned it.

The independent investigation found no evidence of unlawful conduct by the people featured in the video. The report also said that, in light of the available evidence, the recording could be viewed as a possible form of hybrid attack aimed at damaging Cyprus’s reputation.