**NICOSIA** – Cypriot authorities are embroiled in a complex criminal investigation following the emergence of a contentious video, purportedly depicting suspicious financial dealings and investment activities involving high-profile individuals, including a former minister and a senior official within the President's office. The unfolding scandal has prompted an extensive inquiry, a plea for international forensic expertise, and has ignited fierce political debate, with the government decrying the incident as a sophisticated disinformation campaign.
The controversial footage, which surfaced on the X platform, features purported conversations between Giorgos Lakkotrypis, the former Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Charalambos Charalambous, the Director of the President’s Office, and Giorgos Chrysochos, the Chief Executive of the Cyfield Group, alongside an individual presented as a foreign investor. In response to the allegations implicitly raised by the video's content, a comprehensive criminal investigation has been initiated. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, the Legal Service, the Cybercrime Unit, and the Criminal Investigation Department, are meticulously examining every facet of the video’s provenance and veracity.
In a bid to bolster their investigative capabilities, Cypriot authorities have proactively sought specialised assistance from international partners. Teams of experts from the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, and France, alongside Europol, are expected to lend their considerable forensic and technical acumen to the inquiry. Concurrently, individuals featured in the disseminated video are being formally summoned to provide their accounts to the investigating bodies. The former minister, Giorgos Lakkotrypis, has already presented himself to the police, furnishing an official statement and relevant documentation.
The government’s official stance, articulated by Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou, unequivocally frames the video as an orchestrate d "hybrid attack" and an "organised disinformation campaign." Antoniou suggested that the footage may have been manipulated, citing the possibility of "doctored sound and pictures" and hinting at potential external interference, with some reports pointing towards Russian involvement. This characterisation, however, has not appeased the opposition. The AKEL party has vociferously criticised the administration’s approach, arguing that the focus on the video's origins serves as a deliberate diversion from the substantive allegations of corruption and institutional entanglement.
The ramifications of the scandal have extended beyond the political arena, impacting individuals associated with the presidency. Philippa Karsera, the First Lady, announced her resignation from her positions within the Independent Social Support Body (ISSB) and other charitable organisations. She cited the relentless personal attacks and the proliferation of fabricated news and defamatory commentary as the impetus for her decision. An emergency meeting of the ISSB Management Committee has been convened in response to her departure.
The investigation is not merely confined to the immediate fallout of the video. It is understood to be broadening its scope, scrutinising the entirety of the circumstances surrounding the recording and its subsequent dissemination. This includes investigating the digital footprint of the X account that initially published the content. Nicosia has also been alerted to the increasing threat of hybrid warfare, having received warnings from Brussels regarding such activities several months prior. The current probe, therefore, sits within a wider context of heightened geopolitical vigilance.
The outcome of this multifaceted investigation remains uncertain, but its implications are profound. Should any wrongdoing be substantiated against Charalambos Charalambous, the Director of the President’s Office, the government has pledged immediate dismissal. The ongoing scrutiny promises to cast a long shadow over the integrity of political funding and the governance of the island nation, particularly as the country navigates an increasingly complex and volatile international landscape.