US Indicts IRGC Hackers, Offers $10 Million Reward
The United States Department of Justice has charged three Iranian hackers, allegedly involved in a cyberattack on former President Donald Trump’s election campaign. According to official reports, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, Yasar Balaghi, and Masoud Jalili acted on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a key entity in Iran, known for its cyber espionage activities. The charges cover a period from 2020 to September 2024.
The hackers infiltrated and stole documents from Trump’s campaign and also targeted U.S. officials and media representatives. According to the FBI, their actions aimed to undermine the democratic processes of the country. Additionally, they attempted to pass the stolen information to Biden’s team and the media, but their efforts failed as none of the recipients responded to their messages.
The indictment asserts that the cyberattacks were also motivated by “revenge for the death” of General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in January 2020 during a U.S. military operation. Jalili, identified as a member of the paramilitary organization Basij, along with the two other hackers, participated in a series of attacks over several years, affecting both U.S. government institutions and international organizations.
Alongside the charges, U.S. and U.K. authorities issued a joint warning about the tactics employed by Iranian cyber groups and imposed sanctions on seven Iranian officials associated with the IRGC. These sanctions specifically address the cyberattacks aimed at disrupting the U.S. electoral process in 2020 and 2024.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities do not rule out additional charges against individuals involved in the attacks designed to erode confidence in U.S. elections.
