US Judge Reveals Hacker Use To Steal Climate Activists' Emails In ExxonMobil Case

JAKARTA - US prosecutors said an Israeli private investigator used hackers to steal emails from climate activists battling American giant energy company ExxonMobil Corp.

In a sentencing memo filed on Thursday, October 12, US Attorney Damian Williams, for New York's Southern District, said Exxon's lawyers cited a media article based on stolen emails to avoid an investigation by the US state Attorney General.

Prosecutors did not state any connection between these Israeli private investigators - former police Aviram Azari - and Exxon. The memo did not identify anyone who became his client. The victims said that this left important unanswered questions.

"While satisfying to see Azari convicted of this crime he committed years ago, we still want to know who paid him to target me and my fellow climate activists and lawyers," said Kert Davies, one of Azari's victims and director of the investigation at the Center for Climate Integrity.

Exxon has previously denied having ties to Israelis or its hacking campaign.

The company, which is increasingly paying attention after announcing a $66 billion deal to buy its rival, Pioneer Natural Resources, has yet to respond to a message seeking comment. Exxon's lawyer in this case, Paul Weiss, also did not respond to an email seeking his comment.

Seven years ago, attorneys general in New York and Massachusetts were investigating Exxon for other documents and evidence showing that the company had hidden its knowledge of the impact of the use of fossil fuels on climate change. A number of environmental activists supported this investigation and helped organize a media campaign known as #ExxonKnew.

The investigation in Massachusetts has finally turned into a lawsuit, which is still ongoing.

Exxon fought back by filing a lawsuit citing a press article, suggesting that activists use unfair tactics. Thursday's trial was the first time Azari's hacking activity was directly connected to the media leak, which showcased private email exchanges and other non-public communications.

Bradley Campbell, President of the Conservation Law Foundation, one of Azari's victims, said that the only common thread between all victims was "an advocacy to account for ExxonMobil for his lies."

Memo Williams was proposed ahead of the reading of Azari's sentence next week. Azari pleaded guilty last year to leasing paid hackers to target his client's enemies.

Williams claims that Azari, who has been in American custody since 2019, generates an average of less than $1 million per year by renting digital spies to launch a "massive computer hacking campaign targeting thousands of victims worldwide.