Part 8/14:
The approach involved creating convincing cover stories. One actor, Emanuel Freudenthal, posed as Albert, representing a boutique research firm in the British Virgin Islands keen on buying surveillance software. Another, Abdu, pretended to be a West African official speaking only French, to add authenticity. Approaching the vendors with staged scenarios, they sought to see if the companies would offer their tools for illicit purposes, such as tracking individuals under sanctions or private citizens like mining activists.