NSO Group, the maker of the controversial Pegasus spyware, is set to be acquired by a group of American investors led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds. The deal, valued at several tens of millions of dollars, is expected to be signed in the coming days, though its completion will require approval from Israel’s Defense Export Control Agency (DECA) at the Ministry of Defense.
Since March 2023, NSO’s shares have been held by a Luxembourg-based holding company wholly owned by founder Omri Lavie. The company’s lender syndicate, which had extended roughly $500 million in loans to finance a share buyback from the private equity fund Francisco Partners, transferred ownership to Lavie following the restructuring.