• Evolution alleges Black Cube faked Iran link in report
• Filings claim VPN tests fabricated evidence of wrongdoing
• Regulators cleared Evolution of all misconduct claims

Black Cube, the Israeli private intelligence firm at the center of a libel case brought by online gaming provider Evolution AB, has a history of “unethical, deceptive, and even unlawful conduct to advance its clients’ aims,” according to new court documents.

Harvey Weinstein, above, hired Black Cube to spy on and discredit women who accused him of sexual misconduct. (Image: Getty)

The documents, filed with the New Jersey Superior Court on Monday, also accuse Black Cube of knowingly or recklessly falsifying evidence in an effort to damage its reputation.

Court filings on October 21 revealed that Playtech, a direct competitor, commissioned Black Cube’s 2021 report accusing Evolution of supplying games to operators linked to “banned terror states” such as Iran, Syria, and Sudan. Evolution rejects the allegations as false and defamatory.

Hired by Weinstein

The new filings claim that Black Cube was previously hired by Harvey Weinstein “to spy on women who had accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault, and to spy on reporters investigating those accusations.”

The firm also engaged in a “deceptive campaign to smear and discredit Hungarian NGOs opposed to the government of Viktor Orban in advance of the Hungarian election,” according to Evolution.

No Smoking Gun

Evolution also highlights what it calls “smoking gun” evidence of fabrication in Black Cube’s report.

The company points to a secretly recorded conversation between Kfir Kugler, chief executive of Evolution’s Ezugi division, and Black Cube operatives posing as potential investors.

In the transcript submitted to regulators, Kugler was quoted as saying Evolution “has games for Iran.” But according to Evolution – and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, which later reviewed the audio – Kugler actually said “Kurdistan and Iraq.”

Iraq and the Kurdistan region are not considered “banned” or “prohibited” jurisdictions under US law – at least not in the same way as Iran, Syria, or Sudan, which are officially designated “State Sponsors of Terrorism” by the US government.

Black Cube conducted at least thirteen surreptitious interviews of individuals in the online gaming market, providing false narratives to set up the interviews and secretly record the meetings,” according to Evolution.

The filings also describe how Black Cube agents used virtual private networks (VPNs) and proxy connections to make it appear that Evolution’s live-dealer casino games were accessible from Iran and other restricted markets. Evolution argues Black Cube’s own VPN manipulation doesn’t demonstrate that it served prohibited jurisdictions.

‘Success Payments’

Playtech is alleged to have paid Black Cube about £1.8 million ($2.4 million) for the report, with additional performance-based “success payments” for triggering media coverage or regulatory action against Evolution.

Black Cube leaked its report to the media and New Jersey gaming regulators via an intermediary, the law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky. In November 2021, Bloomberg published an article detailing the allegations.

On October 21 this year, Black Cube contacted Casino.org in an unsigned email to say it was standing by the report.

“The extensive body of evidence, including countless hours of video and audio recordings, leaves no room for doubt: Evolution knowingly and deliberately allowed its games to operate in sanctioned jurisdictions and black markets – both before and after the report’s submission,” it said.

“By doing so, Evolution misled the public, the Court, and regulatory authorities. Now, the truth will prevail,” it added.

Casino.org has reached out to Black Cube for comment on the most recent filings.

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