Israeli Detective Is Accused Of Using Indian Hackers To Keep Tabs On Russian Tycoon

JAKARTA - An Israeli private detective currently in US custody is using Indian hackers to carry out surveillance operations against very wealthy Russians. This statement was made by a reporter at a court hearing Wednesday evening, May 25.

Independent journalist Scott Stedman told a court in New York that imprisoned private detective Aviram Azari was working "on cyber surveillance and intelligence operations at the behest of the Russian oligarchs." It also cites a mix of public reporting and classified sources.

Stedman said in a declaration that one of the Russian oligarchs in question was aluminum tycoon Oleg Deripaska, who he said indirectly hired Azari in connection with a business dispute in Austria.

A spokesman for Deripaska said in an email that the allegations were "grossly untrue." A lawyer for Azari, who last month pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hacking and identity theft in separate cases, did not return messages.

Stedman made his statement in support of his request to subpoena Azari as evidence against a UK defamation lawsuit brought against him by British-Israeli security consultant Walter Soriano in 2020.

In a series of articles for his publication, Forensic News, Stedman claimed, among other things, that Soriano was an intermediary between wealthy Russians and surveillance firms.

Soriano denied the allegations and challenged the article. He also accused Stedman of campaigning for defamation, invasion of privacy,, and harassment.

Stedman's attorney told a New York court that "several classified sources" told reporters that Azari "worked closely with Soriano over the years" and thus the imprisoned testimony and private eye documents could "confirm the veracity of Forensic News reporting."

In an email to Reuters, Soriano's lawyer Shlomo Rechtschaffen said Stedman's claims were "false and baseless" and that the reporter had "no evidence" that his client and Azari cooperated as alleged.

In a statement to Reuters, Stedman said he had "very strong reason to believe that Azari was working with Soriano on cyber-related projects for some Russian oligarchs and other billionaires" and that he summoned Azari as part of an effort "to defend journalism and my business."

Azari is currently being held in a federal prison in Brooklyn still awaiting sentencing in connection with a hacking campaign linked to German financial technology company Wirecard AG, his lawyer said last month.

Reuters reported last year that Azari was accused of hiring Indian hacking firm BellTroX on behalf of a powerful client. BellTroX, who has also been accused of hacking by cybersecurity researchers on Facebook and elsewhere, could not be reached for comment.