Former Mexican president investigated over allegedly taking bribes from spyware industry

Mexico’s Attorney General launched a probe into allegations that former President Enrique Peña Nieto accepted up to $25M in bribes from Israeli businessmen to secure Mexican government contracts for spyware, including NSO Group’s Pegasus. The inquiry stems from Israeli arbitration documents reported by TheMarker; Peña Nieto and NSO deny wrongdoing, and prosecutors say they currently lack concrete evidence while seeking international legal assistance to obtain records. The report also recalls prior findings that Pegasus was used in Mexico to target journalists, activists, and others during Peña Nieto’s tenure.