Accused Iranian hackers successfully peddle stolen Trump emails

WASHINGTON: The accused Iranian hacking group who intercepted Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign emails have finally found some success in getting their stolen material published after initially failing to interest the mainstream media.

In recent weeks, the hackers began peddling Trump emails more widely to one Democratic political operative, who has posted a trove of material to the website of his political action committee, American Muckrakers, and to independent journalists, at least one of whom posted them on the writing platform Substack. The latest material shows Trump campaign communications with external advisers and other allies, discussing a range of topics leading up to the 2024 election.

The hackers’ activities tracked by Reuters provide a rare glimpse into the operations of an election interference effort. They also demonstrate Iran remains determined to meddle in elections despite a September US Justice Department indictment accusing the leakers of working for Tehran and using a fake persona.

The indictment alleged that an Iranian-government linked hacking group, known as Mint Sandstorm or APT42, compromised multiple Trump campaign staffers between May and June by stealing their passwords. In a Homeland Security advisory published earlier this month, the agency warned that the hackers continue to target campaign staff. If found guilty, they face prison time and fines.

The Department of Justice indictment said the leakers were three Iranian hackers working with Iran’s Basij paramilitary force whose voluntary members help the regime to enforce its strict rules and to project influence. Attempts to reach the hackers identified by name in the indictment via email and text message were unsuccessful.

In conversations with Reuters, the leakers - who collectively use the fake persona “Robert” - did not directly address the US allegations, with one saying “Do you really expect me to answer?!”

“Robert” is the same fake persona referred to in the US indictment, according to FBI emails sent to journalists and reviewed by Reuters.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement that reports of the country’s involvement in hacking against the US election were “fundamentally unfounded, and wholly inadmissible,” adding that it “categorically repudiates such accusations.”

The FBI, which is investigating Iran’s hacking activity against both presidential campaigns in this election, declined to comment. David Wheeler, the founder of American Muckrakers, said the documents he shared were authentic and in the public interest. Wheeler said his goal was to “expose how desperate the Trump campaign is to try to win” and to provide the public with factual information. He declined to discuss the material’s origin.

Without making any specific references, the Trump campaign said earlier this month that Iran’s hacking operation was “intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our democratic process,” adding any journalists reprinting the stolen documents “are doing the bidding of America’s enemies.”