The crystal structure of the title compound, alternatively called 1,2,3-triiodo-5-(triphenylmethyl)benzene, C(25)H(17)I(3), is analysed in terms of I.I and I.pi interactions and the herring-bone T motif between phenyl groups. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit, denoted A and B. Inversion-related A molecules are connected via an I.pi interaction (3.641 A, to a C-C bond mid-point) to form an I.pi dimer, and these dimers are connected through symmetry-independent B molecules via I.I [3.5571 (15) A] and I.pi (3.561 A, to a C-C bond mid-point) interactions.