The present study aims to analyze and explain the process of political predator syndrome formation based on dark personality traits in Iranian public organizations, using a qualitative grounded theory approach. Political predator syndrome refers to a pattern of political and opportunistic behaviors adopted by managers and employees to acquire and maintain power, eliminate rivals, and control organizational resources. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 28 senior and middle managers selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA software based on the Strauss and Corbin approach. The findings revealed that this syndrome emerges from the interaction of individual predispositions rooted in dark personality traits, organizational contextual conditions, and intervening factors. It manifests through strategies such as decision-making obstruction, information control and distortion, artificial self-promotion of competencies, strategic concealment, rumor-spreading, and covert coalition-building. At the individual level, the consequences include intensified covert conflicts, unhealthy competition, and psychological burnout. At the organizational level, the syndrome undermines organizational justice, reduces trust, erodes social capital, impairs organizational learning, and diminishes group performance. Accordingly, redesigning performance appraisal systems, increasing transparency in career advancement pathways, strengthening meritocracy, establishing safe reporting mechanisms, and reforming organizational structures are recommended to prevent and mitigate this phenomenon.