The U.S. Department of Justice has expanded its indictment of Iran-based Mabna Institute to 17 defendants, adding eight new suspects to a case originally brought against nine individuals in 2018. Authorities are offering a $10 million reward for information leading to five key suspects, including Behzad Mesri, Mojtaba Galekuhi, Arman Kahzadian, Keyvan Fayaz, and Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh.
Prosecutors allege the group hacked 144 American and 178 foreign universities, dozens of companies, and five U.S. government agencies between 2013 and 2017, stealing roughly 31.5 terabytes of scientific data and intellectual property on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. More than 100,000 professor accounts were targeted, the Justice Department said.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald stated the updated charges demonstrate that the passage of time will not deter prosecution of those attacking the United States from abroad. The Treasury Department previously sanctioned the original nine defendants plus a tenth suspect linked to an attempted extortion of HBO involving a stolen Game of Thrones script.