“The most significant catalyst to bringing this issue to light was investigative journalism - the timely, technical information reported created the awareness and momentum to ensure justice," she said.
National Security Agency analyst who worked on Project Raven and then acted as a whistleblower, said she was pleased to see the charges. “There is risk, and there will be consequences.” government employees, who had considered using cyberspace to leverage export-controlled information for the benefit of a foreign government or a foreign commercial company,” Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division said in a statement. “This is a clear message to anybody, including former U.S. Revelations of Project Raven in 2019 by Reuters highlighted the growing practice of former intelligence operatives selling their spycraft overseas with little oversight or accountability. Lesko for the Justice Department’s National Security Division said in a statement. law should fully expect to be prosecuted for their criminal conduct,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. “Hackers-for-hire and those who otherwise support such activities in violation of U.S. security clearance, a requirement for jobs that entail access to national security secrets. The UAE embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Īs part of the deal with federal authorities to avoid prosecution, the three former intelligence officials agreed to pay a combined $1.69 million and never again seek a U.S. The operatives and their attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. federal court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. government, according to court papers released in U.S. The three men admitted to hacking into computer networks in the United States and exporting sophisticated cyber intrusions tools without gaining required permission from the U.S.