The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has seized over a dozen websites that were allegedly used by suspected Chinese agents to recruit former and current American officials with security clearances.
Recruitment Efforts
According to the FBI’s affidavit for the seizures, several unnamed people used the websites as a front for fake “consulting companies” to recruit individuals in the United States to obtain sensitive and possibly classified information in exchange for monetary payments.
The websites allegedly advertised for positions such as “International Affairs Analysts (Remote),” Defense Analyst, “Jobs for Ex-Military Personnel,” as well as generic “consulting” positions. The affidavit lists seven unnamed people who were recruited through the websites and says the recruiters asked for papers on various subjects, including China and US relations, Iran, and the Israel-Palestine war — all while pressing for insider or exclusive information.
Investigation Findings
The FBI believes the people running the alleged scheme, who were all located overseas, were acting “wittingly or unwittingly” on behalf of the Chinese government. The websites were paid for through cryptocurrency and foreign banks. It’s unclear if any classified material was ever shared through the alleged plot.
The FBI says the conspirators used identify theft, AI-generated photos and videos, and “relatively large payments for research reports” in their attempt to gain access to sensitive intel. The conspirators allegedly copied information and photos from real companies overseas and used them on the scam websites.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
