Nicosia, Cyprus. Israeli private intelligence agency Black Cube said on Tuesday it stands behind evidence used in a video alleging campaign finance lawbreaking by President Nikos Christodoulides and his associates, despite the government-appointed investigator finding no criminal wrongdoing.
The agency said its evidence uncovered corruption by Cyfield and that it is awaiting a final assessment by Attorney-General George Savvides’ office.
Black Cube response
“Corruption is a phenomenon that harms economies and impedes legitimate business activity. Black Cube stands firmly behind its evidence uncovering corruption carried out by Cyfield in Cyprus,” the agency told the Cyprus Mail.
It said the authenticity of evidence published in the video had been verified by Cypriot authorities and that it was awaiting the attorney-general’s office’s final assessment.
Black Cube said it was confident that Savvides’ office would bring those responsible to justice and help create a cleaner business environment. It also said it obtains legal advice in every jurisdiction where it operates to ensure the legality of its activities.
The agency rejected allegations that it was acting on behalf of a foreign state, saying it provides bespoke services only to clients involved in business activities worldwide, including litigation, arbitration and white-collar crime cases.
It said it would continue uncovering fraud, corruption and asset dissipation globally, as it has done over the past 15 years.
Investigator’s findings
The comments followed findings by Andreas Paschalides, appointed by the government to investigate the matter, that none of those appearing in the video had committed criminal wrongdoing.
Paschalides said the video was not authentic but was instead the product of editing. He said that, beyond being the product of unconstitutional actions and therefore inadmissible testimony, it had little, if any, probative value.
He said the apparent purpose of producing the video was to harm the Republic of Cyprus rather than private interests, while adding that the Cypriot side had acted completely legally at all relevant times.
Paschalides said responsibility for producing the video lay with a private company with non-Cypriot interests that is registered abroad, and that Black Cube had received large sums of money.