VIDEO: How NSO Group’s Pegasus Spyware Was Found on Jamal Khashoggi’s Fiancée’s Phone

Share:
In partnership with:
July 18, 2021

A consortium of news outlets from around the world, including FRONTLINE, has been investigating the use of the spyware called Pegasus and the Israeli company, NSO Group, that sells it to foreign governments. Pegasus has been used by NSO clients to spy on journalists, human rights activists and others. One target: Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée.

The investigation is coordinated by the journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories, with technical support from Amnesty International’s Security Lab. Washington Post reporter Dana Priest is one of more than 80 journalists from 17 media organizations working on the collaboration, known as The Pegasus Project. She traveled to Turkey to verify if Pegasus had been used to surveil Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz. NSO Group says its spyware is used to fight terrorism and serious crimes, and that its technology was not associated in any way with Khashoggi’s murder. This reporting is part of an upcoming FRONTLINE documentary produced with Forbidden Stories to air on PBS.

More Stories

U.S. ‘Virtually Never Held Anyone Accountable’ for Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan War, Former White House Official Says
A new FRONTLINE series probes mistakes behind the U.S. failure in Afghanistan — including errant raids and other military operations that repeatedly killed Afghan civilians, and for which, according to former deputy national security adviser and retired Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, ‘we virtually never held anyone accountable.’
April 11, 2023
The Fight Over the Abortion Pill Mifepristone and the Financial Impact of Abortion Access
The battle over abortion in America continues to escalate, with competing rulings from two different courts over abortion pills. FRONTLINE looks at the latest developments and the potential implications for people trying to access abortions.
April 10, 2023
What the Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Could Mean for the 2024 Election, Gerrymandered Maps and Abortion
FRONTLINE takes a closer look at the potential state- and national-level ramifications of Wisconsin Supreme Court’s judicial election.
April 7, 2023
Remembering Marian Marzyński (1937-2023)
Read FRONTLINE founder David Fanning's message about the passing of filmmaker Marian Marzyński and his legacy.
April 6, 2023