Mexico’s New Probe into Alleged Pegasus Bribe Deepens Corruption Scandal

A shadow looms over Mexico’s former president Enrique Peña Nieto as the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) launches a fresh investigation into allegations that he accepted a $25 million bribe from Israeli businessmen to secure contracts for Pegasus spyware during his 2012–2018 presidency.

The probe, announced Tuesday by Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero, revives a years-long scandal over the misuse of the invasive surveillance tool, which targeted journalists, activists, and political opponents in Mexico.

As the nation faces its legacy of corruption, the case threatens to unravel one of the most controversial chapters of Peña Nieto’s tenure and cast a spotlight on Israel’s global cyber-arms trade.

A Damning Allegation

The investigation stems from a July 5, 2025, report by Israeli outlet The Marker, which alleged that businessmen Avishai Neriah and Uri Emmanuel Ansbacher paid Peña Nieto $25 million to facilitate lucrative government deals, including the sale of Pegasus, a spyware developed by Israel’s NSO Group.

The claims emerged from a confidential arbitration between Neriah and Ansbacher, finalized in late 2024 in a Jerusalem District Court after initially being conducted under Torah law. The arbitration detailed their “investment” in Peña Nieto—referred to as “the elder man”—to gain influence over contracts with Mexico’s Defense Ministry (Sedena), Attorney General’s Office (PGR), and National Security Intelligence Service (Cisen) during Peña Nieto’s 2012 campaign and presidency.

Pegasus, capable of infiltrating smartphones to extract messages, calls, and even activate cameras, was marketed to combat crime and terrorism but required Israel’s Ministry of Defense approval for export. Mexico, NSO’s first and largest client, reportedly spent over $300 million on spyware, including $60 million on Pegasus under Peña Nieto alone. The Marker report alleges that kickbacks were funneled through front companies, a practice long suspected in Mexico’s security contracts.

The FGR’s Response

Speaking at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on July 8, Gertz Manero confirmed that the FGR had opened a new investigation file. He noted that prior complaints against Peña Nieto for Pegasus-related misconduct had faltered due to insufficient evidence, a recurring challenge in high-profile corruption cases. To bolster this probe, the FGR plans to request formal cooperation from Israeli authorities to verify the businessmen’s claims, including specifics on the alleged bribe’s dates, amounts, and circumstances. “We need legally substantiated evidence to avoid past mistakes,” Gertz said, signaling a cautious approach to a case that could redefine accountability for Mexico’s political elite.

Peña Nieto’s Defense

Peña Nieto, 59, swiftly rejected the allegations. On July 6, he posted on X (@EPN): “I regret encountering reports that, without the slightest journalistic rigor, make careless and malicious claims. The report about alleged contributions is completely false. It’s an insinuation with no foundation whatsoever.”

The former president, who has lived in Spain since leaving office, has consistently denied authorizing Pegasus for illegal surveillance, insisting it was used solely against organized crime. His administration, however, has been dogged by corruption scandals, from the “White House” real estate controversy to allegations of ties to the Odebrecht bribery scheme.

Pegasus’s Toxic Legacy in Mexico

The Pegasus scandal erupted in 2017 when the New York Times and Citizen Lab exposed its use against Mexican journalists like Carmen Aristegui, human rights lawyers, and activists, including relatives of the 43 Ayotzinapa students who disappeared in 2014. Over 15,000 individuals, including 50 people close to current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, were reportedly targeted during Peña Nieto’s tenure.

A 2021 Guardian investigation described Mexico as a “laboratory” for Pegasus, with contracts funneled through intermediaries to obscure kickbacks. The spyware’s reach extended into López Obrador’s administration, with evidence of military use against activists like Raymundo Ramos and journalist Ricardo Raphael in 2019–2021.

The FGR has pursued related cases, including a 2021 arrest of a KBH subsidiary employee and charges against former PGR official Tomás Zerón, who fled to Israel and faces extradition for his role in Pegasus purchases and the Ayotzinapa case. Gertz Manero referenced past difficulties securing Israel’s cooperation, citing delays in Zerón’s extradition, but expressed hope that formal requests would yield results this time.

Israel’s Role and Global Fallout

The involvement of Neriah, Mexico’s honorary consul in Haifa from 2014, and Ansbacher, a close associate of NSO founder Shalev Julio, underscores the complex ties between Mexico and Israel’s cyber-arms industry. NSO Group has faced global scrutiny for Pegasus’s misuse, with reports linking it to surveillance of dissidents in countries like Saudi Arabia and India. Israel’s Ministry of Defense, which oversees NSO’s exports, has been criticized for lax oversight, despite the company’s claims of investigating abuses. The Peña Nieto probe could strain Mexico-Israel relations, already tested by the Zerón case, and renew calls for tighter regulation of spyware exports.

A Nation Watches

On X, reactions reflect Mexico’s polarized mood. Users like @NachoRgz hailed the investigation as a step toward justice, while @juncalssolano cautioned that Peña Nieto’s denials highlight the challenge of securing evidence. The case resonates with Mexico’s broader struggle to hold powerful figures accountable, a priority for Sheinbaum’s administration as it navigates the legacy of her predecessor, López Obrador. If substantiated, the $25 million bribe would confirm suspicions of systemic corruption in Peña Nieto’s security apparatus, further eroding trust in institutions already battered by the Pegasus revelations.

For now, the investigation is in its early stages, with the FGR’s success hinging on international cooperation and airtight evidence. As Mexico confronts its past, the Peña Nieto case stands as a test of its resolve to dismantle the impunity that has long shielded its political elite—and a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of a spyware deal gone wrong.