Two suspected Iranian hackers were charged for posing as supporters of former President Donald Trump and sending threatening messages to U.S. voters, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Iranians Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazemi, 24, and Sajjad Kashian, 27, were indicted and sanctioned for their alleged involvement in the misinformation campaign, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). At some points, the pair claimed to be “Proud Boys volunteers” who accused the Democratic Party of planning to exploit “serious security vulnerabilities” in messages sent to Republican lawmakers and Trump campaign officials.
“This indictment details how two Iran-based actors waged a targeted, coordinated campaign to erode confidence in the integrity of the U.S. electoral system and to sow discord among Americans,” DOJ National Security Division Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said in a statement.
