"Criminal complaint against illegal export of surveillance software is making an impact: the FinFisher group of companies ceases business operations after its accounts are seized by Public Prosecutor’s Office" 28 March 2022

Following a criminal complaint filed by the Society for Civil Rights (Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V.), Reporters without Borders (RSF), the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and netzpolitik.org over illegal exports of surveillance software...FinFisher has ceased its business operations. The Public Prosecutor’s Office Munich announced that it had seized the company’s accounts, after which FinFisher GmbH and two partner companies filed for insolvency.

FinFisher GmbH and its partner companies produced and distributed the FinSpy “state Trojan” software worldwide. Using this spyware, police and secret services can pinpoint a person’s location, record their telephone conversations and chats and read all their mobile phone and computer data...

...The German government has not issued any export licences for surveillance software since 2015. Nevertheless, current versions of the FinSpy surveillance software keep turning up in countries with repressive regimes, including Turkey, Egypt and Myanmar...

With the seizure of the companies’ bank accounts, the Public Prosecutor’s Office now wanted to ensure that the illegally obtained profits could be confiscated after a conviction.