Italian Businessman Reportedly Targeted by Paragon Spyware on His Phone

Reports from local news outlets indicate that a prominent Italian entrepreneur has become a target of Paragon spyware.

On Thursday, the Italian online investigative platform IrpiMedia, along with the newspaper La Stampa, disclosed that Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone was among roughly 90 individuals informed via WhatsApp in January that they had been subjected to spyware developed by Paragon Solutions.

The exact motives behind the targeting of Caltagirone remain ambiguous, and a spokesperson for his holding company, Caltagirone SpA, did not reply to requests for comments.

Caltagirone’s namesake holding company boasts a varied portfolio, encompassing numerous businesses in sectors such as construction, real estate, finance, and publishing, including the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

Caltagirone stands as the first businessman identified among Paragon’s victims within Italy. Previous targets include journalists Francesco Cancellato and Ciro Pellegrino from the online news outlet Fanpage, as well as immigration activists Luca Casarini and Giuseppe Caccia from Mediterranea Saving Humans, an Italian NGO dedicated to rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

The reported targeting of Caltagirone broadens the implications of the ongoing Paragon spyware scandal in Italy, now encompassing victims beyond journalists and activists. Following revelations about the targeting of Fanpage journalists, Paragon terminated its relationship with the Italian government, which had been one of its clients.

Paragon, which has traditionally marketed itself as an “ethical” spyware creator, is headquartered in Israel and was purchased by U.S. private equity firm AE Industrial in December 2024. Reports indicate that Paragon is poised to merge with cybersecurity firm REDLattice as part of the acquisition.

When TechCrunch reached out to Paragon in September regarding its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a company representative referred inquiries to Jennifer Iras, vice president of marketing at REDLattice, suggesting that the merger may have already been finalized.

Both Paragon and WhatsApp did not respond to requests for comments.