Ali Alzabarah, Espionage, California 2002

A shocking case of espionage has been uncovered in the San Francisco area, where two former Twitter employees and a Saudi national have been charged with conspiring to provide sensitive information about Twitter users to the Saudi government.

According to the complaint, Ali Alzabarah, 35, of Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Abouammo, 41, of Seattle, Washington, and Ahmed Almutairi, 30, of Saudi Arabia, worked together to access private information in the accounts of certain Twitter users, including their email addresses, IP addresses, and dates of birth. This information was then provided to officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who sought to identify and locate Twitter users who had published posts critical of the regime.

The complaint alleges that Alzabarah and Abouammo were compensated for their illicit conduct, receiving a luxury watch, cash, and other benefits in exchange for their agreement to violate Twitter policies. Almutairi is accused of arranging meetings, acting as a go-between, and facilitating communications between the Saudi government and the other defendants.

When confronted by Twitter’s management about accessing users’ information, Alzabarah is said to have sought assistance from Almutairi and others to flee the United States. He left the country the next day and submitted his resignation from Twitter by email while en route. Abouammo, on the other hand, allegedly lied to FBI agents and provided them with a falsified invoice in an effort to obstruct the investigation.

Abouammo was arrested in Seattle, Washington, on November 5, 2019, and is making his initial federal court appearance in Seattle at 2:00 p.m., this afternoon. Alzabarah and Almutairi are believed to be in Saudi Arabia, and federal warrants have been issued for their arrest.

The case highlights the growing concern over insider threats and the exploitation of private user information by foreign governments. The FBI has vowed to take action against individuals who target and obtain private data from dissidents and known critics, under the direction and control of a foreign government.

Alzabarah, Abouammo, and Almutairi are charged with acting as illegal agents of a foreign government, with Abouammo also facing additional charges for destroying, altering, or falsifying records in a federal investigation. If convicted, they face maximum statutory penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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