Israeli Citizen States In Legal Briefs That He Led Years-Long Hacking Of Environmentalists On Behalf Of ExxonMobil

[hatrack]

An Israeli man charged with hacking indicated in court briefs filed in London that a sprawling criminal case stemming from stolen information from climate advocates occurred allegedly at the behest of Exxon Mobil and the lobbying firm DCI Group. Neither company has been accused of wrongdoing by U.S. authorities, and both have said they were not involved in the alleged hacking scheme. The development in court last week marks the first time that Exxon and DCI, which it has used as a lobbying firm, have been publicly linked to what prosecutors describe as a yearslong hacking campaign to steal information from environmental activists who have helped states and cities sue energy companies for contributing to climate change. The municipalities are seeking billions of dollars from oil companies, including Exxon, for damages related to flooding and other impacts.

The revelation was included in a 49-page brief filed by an attorney for Amit Forlit, an Israeli citizen who was arrested in April at Heathrow airport for his role in the alleged hacking scheme. The brief, which opposes U.S. efforts to extradite Forlit from the United Kingdom, said the hacking “is alleged to have been commissioned by DCI Group, a lobbying firm representing Exxon Mobil, one of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies.” The U.S. government is seeking Forlit’s extradition as part of its investigation into a worldwide hacking ring that operated from 2012 to 2019. The government refers in court documents only to a “D.C. lobbying firm” that acted “on behalf of one of the world’s largest oil and gas corporations, centered in Irving, Texas.”

Efforts to extradite Forlit come about a year after his alleged associate, Israeli private eye Aviram Azari, was sentenced to nearly seven years in federal prison for his role in a hacking operation that targeted climate activists and others. Court records allege that Azari received a hacking target list from Forlit, who received it from a “DC lobbying firm.” Documents stolen by Azari and his ring of hackers were cited by Exxon in court as the company battled an array of climate lawsuits that cities, counties and states filed against the oil and gas industry. The Department of Justice declined to comment for this story.

EDIT

The U.S. government, which is not involved in the climate lawsuits against the oil and gas companies, dismissed the argument that the charges against Forlit are politically motivated, writing in its own brief that he faces prosecution “for straight-forward criminal allegations that he orchestrated the hacking of persons for money.” “That there may be a wider political context (as there are with many offences) does not begin to establish the bar” to prevent extradition, states the brief. It also notes that Forlit is accused of being involved in plans to steal information related to “Argentinian debt relief.” The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2024 that investigators were looking into whether Forlit oversaw the theft of emails from Argentine government officials while working on behalf of a hedge fund that sued the country. Reuters reported on the climate hacking allegations last year, prompting then-Senate Budget Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to urge the Department of Justice to “take a good, long look at Exxon and its fellow fossil fuel flunkies.”

EDIT

https://www.eenews.net/articles/court-papers-link-exxon-to-climate-hacking-ring-for-first-time/

[Think. Again.]

1. geewattasurprise.