The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment against three Iranian nationals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for their alleged involvement in a “hack-and-leak” operation aimed at influencing the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The accused, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yaser Balaghi, are charged with a series of cybercrimes intended to undermine democratic processes in the United States.
Details of the Indictment
The indictment reveals that the three individuals orchestrated a sophisticated cyber campaign targeting current and former U.S. officials, members of the media, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns.
In response to these charges, the Department of State has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi.
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The operation began in January 2020 and involved hacking into personal accounts to steal sensitive information. The conspirators then attempted to weaponize this information by leaking it to influence electoral outcomes.
The Justice Department alleges that these activities were part of Iran’s broader strategy to sow discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process.
This campaign included efforts to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC-Qods Force.
The indictment highlights how the conspirators used spearphishing and social engineering techniques to gain unauthorized access to accounts and steal non-public campaign documents.
Impact on U.S. Presidential Campaigns
The cyber actors specifically targeted individuals associated with one U.S. presidential campaign (“U.S. Presidential Campaign 1”).
They sought to undermine it by leaking stolen materials to another campaign (“U.S. Presidential Campaign 2”) and media outlets.
This hack-and-leak strategy was designed to manipulate public perception and influence voter behavior before the 2024 election.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized that these actions represent a direct assault on the integrity of American democratic institutions.
He assured that the Justice Department is committed to countering such foreign interference efforts and ensuring that only American voters determine the outcome of elections.
The indictment underscores ongoing concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections. FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that this case is a clear example of Iran’s brave attempts to meddle in American affairs through cyber means.
The FBI has been actively investigating this case, with significant contributions from field offices and private sector partners like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Meta.
Additionally, the Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions against these individuals under executive orders targeting foreign interference.
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