Ahmad ‘Umar Agha, Conspiracy, Virginia 2024

Two members of the notorious hacking group Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) have been hit with a string of charges in a federal indictment unsealed in Virginia. Ahmad ‘Umar Agha, known online as ‘The Pro,’ and Firas Dardar, who uses the nickname ‘The Shadow,’ were indicted on conspiracy charges and multiple counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to the indictment, Agha and Dardar led a conspiracy that targeted U.S. government agencies, military organizations, and private sector entities, including the Executive Office of the President, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The duo would research their targets and then launch dedicated spearphishing attacks to steal usernames and passwords.

When their attacks were successful, Agha and Dardar allegedly used the stolen credentials to deface websites, redirect domains to sites controlled by the conspiracy, steal electronic mail, and hijack social media accounts. The victims included major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN.

The alleged offenses carry maximum prison terms of 5 years for conspiracy, 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and a collective mandatory prison term of 2 years for aggravated identity theft, with a maximum of 18 years. The actual sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the NASA Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay V. Prabhu and Maya D. Song, along with Trial Attorneys Scott McCulloch, Nathan Charles, and Brandon Van Grack of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, are prosecuting the case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara made the announcement after the indictment was returned.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

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