FBI disables 13 Chinese suspected spying websites targeting US officials
Chinese intelligence allegedly used internet domains to blackmail Americans with security clearances into divulging sensitive information
“The fake consulting company domains seized by the FBI illustrate the lengths the Chinese government’s intelligence services will go to as they try to use AI-generated content to trick, recruit, or coerce current and former US security clearance holders into sharing sensitive information,” said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, in a statement.
“The FBI and our partners have observed China’s intelligence services resort to using AI, professional networking sites, and online payment platforms to target Americans, and we have taken actions to defend the homeland and our national security.”
“The allegation of so-called ‘Chinese espionage threat’ is entirely fabricated and constitutes malicious slander,” the Chinese embassy in Washington said. “We strongly condemn this.”
The Justice Department said on Wednesday that the 13 sites targeted Americans with claims of easy money, especially current and former officials holding security clearances to handle classified and sensitive US government information.