Alleged Trump Campaign – Iranian Hackers Accused of Terrorism Crimes

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed an indictment against three men for allegedly hacking into the Trump campaign on behalf of the Iranian government in an effort to harm former President Donald Trump’s electoral prospects.

Trump’s name is not included in the 37-page indictment released Friday, but it is clear from details in the document that the charges involve an attempt to steal information from his campaign and give it to journalists and Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, which took place before Biden decided to step down in the elections.

For example, the indictment describes conspirators allegedly using access to the personal accounts of people associated with the presidential campaign around May to steal nonpublic documents and emails related to the campaign, and then attempting to use the stolen campaign materials by leaking them in late June, including . to “what was then another identified U.S. presidential campaign.”

In July, Biden announced that he was withdrawing from the presidential race.

Earlier this month, the FBI said Iranian hackers sent people associated with the Biden campaign unsolicited information they stole from the Trump campaign. The bureau said it had no information to indicate that recipients responded to the invitation.

The men, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri and Yasar Balaghi, were charged with conspiracy to obtain information from a protected computer and supporting terrorism, as well as wire fraud and identity theft. The indictment says they are employed by the Iranian government’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The accused men – whose last known residence, according to the indictment, was in Tehran – have not been detained by the US government.

At a news conference Friday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said prosecuting the defendants will be an ongoing priority for U.S. officials.

“From a Department of Justice standpoint, so from a law enforcement standpoint, we will be tracking these people for the rest of their lives,” Garland said.