Tag: espionage

Chinese University Espionage and How Biden Shut Down the Program That Might Have Stopped It

Chinese enrollment in U.S. higher education grew steadily through the Obama years, climbing from under 200,000 in 2011–12 to a peak of 372,532 by 2019–20. By March 2018, alongside that growth, the FBI warned in its bulletin, “China: The Risk to Academia,” that the broader population of international students and scholars in the United States, then numbering 1.4 million, posed a national security exposure. Chinese students were the largest source of that population.

The Bureau warned that a subset of those students and scholars was being used by Beijing as “non-traditional collectors,” exploiting the openness of U.S. research institutions through talent recruitment programs, unsolicited research collaboration offers, and academic visits to advance Chinese military and commercial interests. The bulletin stated that China does not “play by the same rules of academic integrity” as American institutions and called on universities to report suspicious contacts to their local FBI field office.

That assessment fed directly into the Department of Justice’s response. On November 1, 2018, the DOJ launched the China Initiative under Attorney General Jeff Sessions to counter Chinese economic espionage. The initiative was led by Assistant Attorney General John Demers of the National Security Division, alongside a senior FBI executive and five U.S. attorneys.

Keep reading

Israeli authorities arrest 20-year-old American citizen in Jerusalem on suspicion of conducting espionage missions for Iranian intelligence

In a major joint counterintelligence operation, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency announced the arrest of a 20-year-old American citizen residing in the Jerusalem area on suspicion of conducting espionage missions for Iranian intelligence.

The suspect, whose identity remains withheld under court-authorized restrictions, was taken into custody following critical intelligence provided by a number of undisclosed security agencies.

A prosecutor’s statement was formally filed in court, a mandatory legal precursor signaling that a formal indictment and a request to hold the individual without bail until the conclusion of legal proceedings will be submitted.

According to security officials, the investigation revealed that the suspect had been actively maintaining contact with operatives acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence agencies over the course of several months.

During this period, the American reportedly accepted and executed numerous assignments that primarily involved documenting and photographing sensitive strategic sites across Israel. In exchange for the surveillance data and media, the suspect allegedly received financial compensation “ranging from dozens to hundreds of U.S. dollars per completed task.”

The arrest comes amid a sharp spike in Iranian-directed espionage operations inside Israel, which have increasingly relied on recruiting local residents and foreign nationals through digital platforms.

Chief Inspector Amichai Panta, an investigations officer with the Jerusalem District’s Major Crimes Unit, emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that multiple espionage operations have been dismantled recently, with some suspects operating directly during active wartime to aid hostile foreign plots.

Keep reading

WHAT? China Demands Foreign Intelligence Services Stop Using ‘Spy Turtles’ To Scan Its Waters

The assets from the animal kingdom.

After India complained of the Mumbai ‘Chinese spy pigeon’ and the Ukrainians warned of the ‘Russian spy beluga whale’, the allegations of utilizing animals for information gathering see a new chapter.

China has warned against foreign governments using sensor-fitted fish and turtles to spy on its waters.

The Telegraph reported:

“In a post on social media, Beijing’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) claimed that ‘foreign intelligence services are continuously collecting and stealing sensitive marine data’.

Among the different types of espionage equipment allegedly in use, the agency claimed that fish and turtles had been fitted with sensors and were found to be collecting data such as ‘water temperature, salinity and ocean currents’, which were then transmitted via satellite in real time.”

Keep reading

DOJ announces seizure of 13 internet domains being operated by suspected Chinese intelligence agents

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that it seized 13 internet domains allegedly being used by Chinese operatives to recruit former and current American officials with security clearances.

Several unnamed individuals are accused of using these 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.”

“A lot of this information came from doing interviews, interviews with people who came forward that something didn’t seem right. They provided information and said, ‘Hey, this is kind of weird, we’re kind of getting paid by a cryptocurrency or an online payment system that’s not typical,” said Dan Wierzbicki, the special agent in charge of the counterintelligence and cyber division of the FBI’s Washington field office in an interview.

The FBI believes that the individuals behind the scheme acted on behalf of the Chinese government “wittingly or unwittingly.”

This operation follows a pattern of heightened economic and political espionage. A report from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) last year accused foreign actors of attempting to hire federal employees and capitalizing on the Trump administration’s plans for layoffs across various companies.

The Five Eyes intelligence alliance — comprising the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — recently issued a joint warning detailing how Chinese military intelligence targets Western personnel.

Operating under the guise of think tanks or private businesses, these operatives post fraudulent job listings for foreign policy and defense analysts on legitimate recruiting sites. Once a candidate applies, handlers pressure them for sensitive information, offering cryptocurrency and online payments for “reports” to effectively conceal their true identities.

“For too long, the Chinese government has tried to exploit U.S. government employees behind the cover of fake companies and phony job postings. Today, we shut them down. These seizures will prevent these fraudulent sites from being used to target Americans with access to sensitive information. The FBI will continue to use every tool available to protect Americans and our national security from this threat,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division.

Keep reading

Angry Pentagon Sources Leak Report Of Israel’s ‘Unhinged’ Spying On US Officials

It’s no secret that Israeli spying and surveillance is pervasive, and it is often even directed at its most powerful ally and backer, the United States. But the phenomenon has escalated of late, outraging Washington intelligence officials.

Behind the scenes of this alliance which mainstream media and pundits typically project as essentially untouchable, deep-seated friction is boiling over. In an unprecedented move, the Pentagon has officially elevated Israel’s counterintelligence threat level to its highest possible category, driven by surging internal alarm that this primary Mideast regional ally is aggressively ramping up espionage operations targeting senior US officials – even Trump’s own top Iran negotiator.

The intelligence warning, freshly reported this weekend by NBC News and The New York Times, highlights a profound rift within the national security apparatus as tensions mount between the Trump administration and Israel over the ongoing joint war on Iran.

The revelation’s timing is interesting, given it comes after Axios reported at the start of this month that on a phone call President Trump ‘steamrolled’ Prime Minister Netanyahu. Trump is said to have been “pissed” and at one point yelled and berated Netanyahu, saying “What the fuck are you doing?”

And now, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is broadcasting an internal alert raising Israel’s specific threat designation to “critical”. According to details revealed in a Sunday NBC report:

The designation stems from concerns within the Pentagon that Israel is making a particular effort to surveil top U.S. officials to get information on the Trump administration’s internal deliberations and decision-making on the conflicts in the Middle East, the officials said.

The DIA assessment includes a seven-page document and features a chart, according to one of the current U.S. officials. The document says the assessment of Israel is that its ability to conduct human espionage and technical collection is at a “critical level,” according to the official.

And parallel to this, a report by the NY Times lists out names that are very high level within the Trump administration. Israel has allegedly focused its electronic and human efforts to eavesdrop on the following officials (likely among others):

  • Steve Witkoff, Trump’s premier regional negotiator.
  • Elbridge A. Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official.
  • Michael P. DiMino IV, one of Colby’s primary deputies.

The Israeli embassy in Washingtons has slammed the reports as ‘completely false’: “This entire story is false and sourced to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what’s going on,” it said in a statement.

Keep reading

NBC Report: Pentagon Raised Threat of Israeli Spying on US to Highest Level – White House Denies Report

The Pentagon has designated Israel at the highest counterintelligence threat level amid increasing concerns that the top Middle East ally is spying on US officials to gather information on Trump’s decision-making as it pertains to Iran, two US officials reportedly claim, according to NBC News. 

An Israeli Embassy spokesperson denied that Israel spies on the United States, describing the notion as “completely false.”

“Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone US government officials. Israel intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies. Any claims to the contrary are either misinformed or politically motivated,” the spokesperson said.

The White House further denied the report, saying, “This entire story is false and sourced to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what’s going on.”

The report from NBC cites two unnamed US officials and one former US official and points to past instances of Israel and the US both spying on allies, including Jonathan Pollard, who spent 30 years in prison for selling US intelligence to Israel.

Keep reading

Wired for war: The Israeli spy-tech machine strikes again

French authorities are investigating an alleged election meddling plot by an Israeli “information warfare” company targeting candidates critical of the Jewish state. The scheme – involving fake profiles and AI nudes – follows a familiar pattern.

Multiple intelligence agencies in France are investigating the work of BlackCore, an Israeli firm that allegedly carried out an interference campaign against three left-wing mayoral candidates in Marseille, Toulouse, and Roubaix in March, Reuters reported last on May 13.

All three candidates are members of France Unbowed (LFI), the party of left-wing presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon. In Marseille, Sebastien Delogu was accused of rape by a pseudonymous blogger named ‘Sophie’, while bogus Facebook profiles and QR code stickers plastered around the city boosted the story. AI-generated ‘nudes’ of Delogu were also circulated online, along with captions mocking his support for Palestine.

Bot-boosted profiles posted disparaging stories about Francois Piquemal in Toulouse and David Guiraud in Roubaix. One page accused Piquemal of pedophilia, while another site portrayed LFI as the party of “Sharia law” and “a more Muslim France.” Presented as a “voting guide” for Muslims compiled by an Islamist group, the site was aimed at turning non-Muslim voters against the party, Le Monde reported.

An investigation by France’s Liberation newspaper and Israel’s Haaretz revealed on May 18 that BlackCore was behind the influence operation. According to Reuters, French authorities are now trying to establish who hired the company to intervene in the elections.

Keep reading

US author and son of Texas politician charged with helping to provide classified information to China

The son of a prominent Texas Republican politician has been swept up in an explosive federal case accusing him of helping funnel sensitive information to China.

Thomas Pauken II, an American author and political commentator who spent years living in China, allegedly acted as a go-between for contacts linked to Beijing dangling cash incentives to influence US policy from inside the federal government.

Pauken is now facing a felony charge alleging he operated on behalf of the Chinese government inside the United States without properly registering with the attorney general.

Federal investigators claim Pauken compiled confidential reports for a Chinese intelligence-linked handler who allegedly told him the material would ultimately be passed up the chain to Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

According to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court, Pauken also delivered electronic devices to another individual seeking work in the Trump administration later offering that same person a lucrative arrangement tied to providing weekly policy-related reports.

The allegations have thrust Pauken, who wrote under the pen name Tom McGregor while working in China, into the center of an increasingly tense standoff between Washington and Beijing over espionage, foreign influence and national security.

Court documents obtained by Politico say Pauken was first confronted by US authorities after returning from China in January 2025. 

But instead of immediately arresting him, investigators allegedly instructed him to continue behaving normally out of concern that abruptly cutting ties could place him in danger from China’s Ministry of State Security.

FBI Special Agent Timothy Healy wrote in the affidavit that Pauken was specifically warned not to alert Chinese officials about his contact with American law enforcement.

Keep reading

FBI offers $200K reward for ex-U.S. agent charged with espionage for Iran

A $200,000 reward is being offered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for information regarding the arrest of Monica Witt, a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent, who is charged with espionage for Iran.

On Thursday, the FBI announced in a statement that Witt, 47-years-old, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia in February 2019 on espionage charges, including allegedly transmitting national defense information to the Iranian government.

Witt intentionally provided information that endangered U.S personnel and their families who were stationed overseas and conducted research on behalf of the Iranian regime which allowed them to target her former colleagues in the U.S. government, according to the statement.

“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” said Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division.

Keep reading

Inside the sprawling secret spy network that propelled Chinese agent Eileen Wang on US soil

Two convicted Chinese spies helped Arcadia’s former mayor become a successful SoCal politician — who secretly took orders from Beijing.

Yaoning “Mike” Sun and John Chen helped Eileen Wang win office and secretly reported back to their masters in the People’s Republic of China, according to court documents.

Sun took orders from Chen as he served as the campaign manager and business partner of Wang in her successful 2022 run for Arcadia City Council.

When Wang won her seat, Chen told Sun to send a report to their PRC masters calling Wang a “new political star.”

Wang would “go against Taiwanese independence” and “report to China,” Chen reported to his PRC spymaster.

The Chinese official responded: “That’s great!”

Chen told Sun to make a list of politicians that Wang was friendly with, adding: “the more the better, the higher position the better.”

He also bragged to Beijing about they could turn local U.S. politicians against Taiwanese independence, according to the documents.

Keep reading