I haven’t seen this posted by the DOJ yet, but it’s being reported that 2 former Twitter employees and a 3rd person were federally charged with spying on specific Twitter users on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
cnbc.com/2019/11/06/two…
cnbc.com/2019/11/06/two…
Ali Alzabarah and Ahmad Abouammo are alleged to have used their Twitter employee credentials to access personal info about the Twitter users, including phone numbers, emails, and IP addresses.
Ahmed Almutairi was the intermediary between them and the Saudi government.
Ahmed Almutairi was the intermediary between them and the Saudi government.
Ok, there is actually a source name - US Attorney David Anderson. He’s the US Atty for the Northern District of California. He confirmed the charges in a statement to media.
Maybe DOJ will post about it tomorrow.
justice.gov/usao-ndca/meet…
Maybe DOJ will post about it tomorrow.
justice.gov/usao-ndca/meet…
Nothing on the DOJ NDCA yet. I shall look for it tomorrow then.
Alzabarah and Almutairi might be in Saudi Arabia, so they were t arrested yet.
Abouammo was arrested this past Tuesday in Seattle.
Abouammo was arrested this past Tuesday in Seattle.
Abouammo used his Twitter credentials to access the personal info of users who criticized the Saudi royal family & had former colleagues verify/ take down accounts after he left the company.
Alzabarah used his credentials to access personal info of over 6,000 Twitter users.
Alzabarah used his credentials to access personal info of over 6,000 Twitter users.
Funny that Twitter keeps freezing up while doing my thread here.
Found the criminal complaint. Looks like it was filed yesterday.
context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/def…
context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/def…
Looks like Abouammo obstructed justice. He destroyed evidence and turned over to the FBI a fake, backdated invoice for $100,000 in consulting services from his company CYRCL, LLC to "foreign official 1."
So, both of the Twitter employees left Twitter sometime in 2015 and it looks like it all started in 2014.
Abouammo was involved with helping accounts "of notable interest," journalists, celebrities, and brands from Nov 2013 to May 2015.
Abouammo was involved with helping accounts "of notable interest," journalists, celebrities, and brands from Nov 2013 to May 2015.
Almutairi, who was the intermediary, controlled a Saudi social media marketing company and did work for the Saudi Royal family and one of their charities.
Here's the DOJ announcement:
All 3 of them were charged w/ acting as foreign agents and Abouammo was charged w/ destroying, altering, or falsifying evidence.
All 3 of them were charged w/ acting as foreign agents and Abouammo was charged w/ destroying, altering, or falsifying evidence.
