Former Austrian intelligence officer Egisto Ott, 63, faces trial in Vienna accused of aiding Russian intelligence and supplying secure devices allegedly at the behest of fugitive Jan Marsalek. Prosecutors say Ott made unauthorised database searches and passed information that led to a break-in at journalist Christo Grozev’s Vienna apartment. Ott denies the charges and says he was acting under orders as part of a covert operation. The trial could reveal wider Russian intelligence activity in Europe and is expected to run for months.
Ex-Austrian Intelligence Officer Egisto Ott on Trial in Vienna Over Alleged Russian Spying
Former Austrian domestic intelligence official Egisto Ott looks on before the start of the trial where he is accused for corruption and spying for Russia, in Vienna, Austria, January 22, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner
VIENNA — Former Austrian intelligence officer Egisto Ott, 63, went on trial in Vienna on Jan. 22, accused of helping Russian operatives locate opponents and of supplying government mobile phones and secure laptops to Moscow at the alleged direction of fugitive ex-Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek.
Allegations
Prosecutors say Ott carried out unauthorised searches of police and other official databases and asked foreign counterparts to do the same to locate individuals Moscow wanted pursued, including Dmitry Senin, a former Russian intelligence operative who has claimed asylum in Montenegro. Authorities also allege Ott provided the Vienna address of investigative journalist Christo Grozev to Marsalek, leading to a break-in at Grozev’s apartment and prompting the journalist to leave Austria for security reasons.
Evidence and Details
Ott has acknowledged saving search results to his personal Gmail account and placing material in unrelated case files at his former agency, the now-defunct Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (BVT). Prosecutors say these actions, together with alleged cooperation with Marsalek, amount to supporting a foreign intelligence service to Austria's detriment.
Defense
Defence counsel Anna Mair told the court Ott acted under the orders of a superior who had been contacted by an allied intelligence service attempting to recruit Senin. She said the searches were part of a covert operation and that a witness would corroborate this account. Ott has pleaded not guilty.
"Do you really think I would do that? That I am that dumb?" Ott told the court, insisting he would have covered his tracks better if he were acting illegally.
Context and Significance
The case is one of Austria’s most high-profile espionage prosecutions since a retired army colonel was convicted in 2020 of spying for Moscow. It could shed new light on alleged Russian intelligence-gathering across Europe and further detail the activities of Jan Marsalek, the former Wirecard chief operating officer who is believed to be at large in Russia.
Next Steps
The trial is expected to continue for months, with additional witnesses and testimony likely to address whether Ott’s actions were authorised as part of a secret operation or constituted illegal support for a foreign intelligence service.
Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Andrew Heavens.
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