A covert intelligence operation, reportedly commissioned by a Qatari state entity, has targeted the International Criminal Court (ICC) staffer who has accused the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, of serious misconduct. The operation, conducted by private intelligence firms, sought sensitive personal information on the woman and her family.
Documents and sources indicate the operation aimed to gather material that could discredit the woman and her allegations against Khan. Investigators reportedly attempted, without success, to establish links between her and Israel. The information sought included passport details, travel history, and private data potentially sourced from compromised online accounts.
The operation was led by Highgate, a London-based strategic advisory firm. In a statement, Highgate confirmed it conducted an assessment into activities potentially undermining the ICC but denied acting against any individual or being directly commissioned by the Qatari government. A second firm, Elicius Intelligence, was engaged to assist in gathering information, which included reports on the private lives and financial situations of the staffer and other ICC officials.
Khan has categorically denied the abuse allegations, which include claims of coercive sexual behavior and abuse of authority. His representatives have suggested the accusations are part of a politically motivated smear campaign, linked to his office’s pursuit of arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials over the Gaza conflict. Khan’s lawyers stated his team had no knowledge of or involvement in the private intelligence activities.
The woman at the center of the allegations described the operation as “disturbing” and “heartbreaking,” expressing profound disillusionment with the institution she serves. A UN inquiry into her claims is ongoing, and a second individual has since come forward with separate allegations of mistreatment by Khan from an earlier period.
The scandal has plunged the ICC into a deep crisis, complicating Khan’s tenure as prosecutor. He has temporarily stepped aside pending the outcome of the UN investigation. The revelation of a surveillance operation targeting a key witness adds a new layer of complexity to a case that sits at the volatile intersection of international justice and global geopolitics.