Mohammad Mehdi Farhadi Ramin, a top Iranian hacker wanted by the FBI since 2020, was reportedly killed last week in a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran, according to an Iranian media report cited by Iran International. Farhadi died in Hamadan, Iran, with his funeral held on Monday.
FBI Charges and Cybercriminal Activities
Farhadi was indicted in September 2020 by a federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, for his alleged role in a coordinated cyber intrusion campaign dating back to at least 2013. He reportedly targeted US companies, universities, defense contractors, and nonprofits to steal sensitive national security, foreign policy, and civilian nuclear research data.
The FBI accused Farhadi of stealing identities and credit card information of American citizens, using the data to fund illicit activities, and trafficking some stolen information on the black market. He also allegedly compromised email accounts through hidden forwarding rules, allowing him to secretly monitor communications.
Alleged Iranian Government Cyber Operations
Authorities say Farhadi worked on behalf of the Iranian government to vandalize websites with ideological content, including images of burning Israeli flags and threats against the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. The Department of Justice previously stated these cyber activities sought to intimidate perceived enemies of Iran and threatened US national security.
US officials have considered Farhadi a fugitive due to his involvement in what they call “malicious cyber activity” designed to benefit Iran’s intelligence objectives. The Pentagon declined to comment further when contacted by Fox News Digital.
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