David Vincenzetti, the founder of Hacking Team, a controversial and now-defunct spyware maker, was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a relative. The incident occurred when police responded to a call from Vincenzetti’s cousin, who was unable to reach his wife and was concerned. Reports suggest that Vincenzetti, who is said to have psychological issues, stabbed the woman who was visiting him.

During his appearance before the judge, Vincenzetti reportedly did not discuss the incident but instead talked about his work and companies, prompting the judge to order an investigation into his mental health. The judge also issued a precautionary measure to keep Vincenzetti in jail. The founder of Hacking Team had been out of the public eye since 2020 when he declared the company “dead” on his LinkedIn account. In 2019, Vincenzetti had sold Hacking Team, which had rebranded as Memento Labs.

Hacking Team gained notoriety for developing and selling spyware to governments, initially in Italy and later globally. The company faced criticism for enabling surveillance and human rights abuses. At its peak, Hacking Team had around 40 government customers, but it encountered legal challenges and controversies that led to its decline.