The BDS-1000 model requires a separate evaluation of the target’s complicity across three domains: Military (V-MIL), Economic (V-ECON), and Political (V-POL). Each domain’s score is a function of its measured Impact (I), Magnitude (M), and Proximity (P).
BDS-1000 Scoring Matrix – ExpressVPN
| Domain | I | M | P | V-Domain Score | Justification Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military (V-MIL) | 3.8 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 3.80 | Leadership structure relies heavily on ex-Unit 8200/Duvdevan officers, creating dual-use intelligence risks despite product being civilian. |
| Economic (V-ECON) | 7.2 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.20 | 100% ownership by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi and a core R&D center in Tel Aviv places it deeply in the Israeli tech economy. |
| Political (V-POL) | 5.5 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 5.50 | CEO explicitly markets military command experience as corporate strategy; systematic rebranding obscures Israeli origins. |
Impact (I-MIL) Score: 3.8
Impact Descriptor: Low (Upper End) / Indirect Dual-Use
Rationale:
ExpressVPN is a consumer privacy tool, not a weapons system. However, the “impact” is elevated from a baseline 1.0 to 3.8 due to the “Milit-Intel Leadership Core” identified in the dossier. The founder (Koby Menachemi) is ex-Unit 8200 (Signals Intelligence), and the CEO (Ido Erlichman) is ex-Duvdevan (Special Forces). While there is no public evidence of current IDF contracts for the VPN service itself, the transfer of specialized intelligence skill sets into the product’s architecture creates a “Low (Upper End)” dual-use capability for data collection or surveillance, distinct from standard civilian software.
⸻
Magnitude (M-MIL) Score: 7.0
Magnitude Descriptor: Moderate (Mid)
Rationale:
The involvement of military-intelligence personnel is not a one-off event; it is a sustained structural feature of Kape Technologies. The R&D center in Tel Aviv ensures a continuous pipeline of talent from the Israeli security sector into the company’s operations. This represents long-term involvement rather than a temporary contract.
⸻
Proximity (P-MIL) Score: 6.0
Proximity Descriptor: Indirect but Meaningful
Rationale:
The company does not appear to be a direct vendor to the Ministry of Defense (IMOD) for lethal aid (which would be 8+). However, the proximity is “Indirect but meaningful” (6.0) because the corporate leadership maintains close cultural and professional ties to the security establishment, and the technology (VPN/traffic routing) is relevant to signals intelligence disciplines.
⸻
V-MIL Calculation
$$V_{\text{MIL}} = I \times \min(M/6, 1) \times \min(P/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{MIL}} = 3.8 \times \min(7.0/6, 1) \times \min(6.0/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{MIL}} = 3.8 \times 1 \times 1$$$$V_{\text{MIL}} = 3.80$$
Impact (I-ECON) Score: 7.2
Impact Descriptor: High (Lower End)
Rationale:
Kape Technologies plays an influential economic role in the Israeli high-tech sector. It is not merely a passive investor; it operates a significant R&D center in Tel Aviv (creating high-value employment) and is 100% owned by Teddy Sagi, one of Israel’s most prominent billionaires. The consolidation of major VPNs (ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA) under an Israeli holding company represents a strategic capture of a specific tech market segment, contributing meaningfully to the national economy.
⸻
Magnitude (M-ECON) Score: 8.5
Magnitude Descriptor: High
Rationale:
The magnitude is High. This is not a small startup; Kape is a consolidated entity with significant revenue, owned by a figure (Sagi) with massive, long-term capital deployment in Israel. The investment is permanent and large-scale, removing it would disrupt a noticeable portion of the specific tech sub-sector in Tel Aviv.
⸻
Proximity (P-ECON) Score: 8.0
Proximity Descriptor: Direct Actor / Core Owner
Rationale:
Proximity is high. There are no intermediaries. The ultimate beneficial owner (Teddy Sagi) is an Israeli national resident in Tel Aviv, and the operational heart of the technology (R&D) is located in Tel Aviv. The economic benefit flows directly to the Israeli economy without dilution through third-party supply chains.
⸻
V-ECON Calculation
$$V_{\text{ECON}} = I \times \min(M/6, 1) \times \min(P/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{ECON}} = 7.2 \times \min(8.5/6, 1) \times \min(8.0/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{ECON}} = 7.2 \times 1 \times 1$$$$V_{\text{ECON}} = 7.20$$
Impact (I-POL) Score: 5.5
Impact Descriptor: Moderate (Mid)
Rationale:
The impact falls into the “Moderate (Mid)” band. CEO Ido Erlichman’s publication, Battle of Strategies, which frames corporate success as an extension of his IDF special forces service, actively normalizes Israeli military doctrine within the global corporate sphere. Additionally, the rebranding from Crossrider to Kape to ExpressVPN helps obscure the Israeli origin, effectively neutralizing potential political backlash (BDS avoidance), which is a political tactic.
⸻
Magnitude (M-POL) Score: 6.0
Magnitude Descriptor: Low (Upper End) / Moderate
Rationale:
The ideological alignment is consistent. The “systemic deception” noted in the dossier regarding the Crossrider-to-Kape rebrand suggests a sustained strategy to manage the company’s image relative to its Israeli roots. This is an ongoing corporate posture, not a one-time donation.
⸻
Proximity (P-POL) Score: 8.5
Proximity Descriptor: Leadership-Driven
Rationale:
The political/ideological signals come directly from the C-suite (CEO and Owner). This is not a case of a low-level employee making a statement; the ideological framing of the company via the CEO’s background and the strategic obfuscation of its origins are executive-level decisions.
⸻
V-POL Calculation
$$V_{\text{POL}} = I \times \min(M/6, 1) \times \min(P/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{POL}} = 5.5 \times \min(6.0/6, 1) \times \min(8.5/6, 1)$$$$V_{\text{POL}} = 5.5 \times 1 \times 1$$$$V_{\text{POL}} = 5.50$$
Calculation Logic:
BRS Score Formula:
$$BRS_{Score} = \frac{MaxV + 0.2 \times SumOthers}{14} \times 1000$$$$BRS_{Score} = \frac{7.20 + 0.2 \times (3.80 + 5.50)}{14} \times 1000$$$$BRS_{Score} = \frac{7.20 + 1.86}{14} \times 1000$$$$BRS_{Score} = \frac{9.06}{14} \times 1000$$$$BRS_{Score} = 0.6471 \times 1000$$$$BRS_{Score} = 647$$
Based on the score of 647, the company falls within:
Tier: Tier B (Severe Complicity)
Corporate Structure & Domicile
Financial & Economic Integration
Military or Security Involvement
Political / Ideological Behaviour
Based on the BRS-1000 evaluation:
Final Score: 647
Tier: Tier B (Severe Complicity)
Recommended Action(s):
Justification:
ExpressVPN scores in Tier B (Severe Complicity) primarily due to its Economic integration (100% ownership by an Israeli billionaire and R&D in Tel Aviv) and the Political/Military implications of its leadership.
While it is not a weapons manufacturer, the company represents a direct channel of consumer funds to a major Israeli capitalist and is managed by former elite intelligence/commando officers who explicitly link their military service to their corporate identity. For consumers seeking digital privacy, the risk of “Deep State” alignment combined with the direct economic support of the Israeli high-tech sector warrants a boycott in favor of VPN providers with no ties to Israeli intelligence or capital.