D.C. Power Broker Caught In Global Hacking Scandal

A Washington, D.C. power broker is entangled in a global hacking scandal, with U.S. prosecutors alleging that a lobbying campaign orchestrated cyberattacks on environmental activists, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report.

Justin Peterson, a key player in the lobbying firm DCI Group, allegedly masterminded “Operation Fox Hunt” starting in 2015, with the goal of undermining opponents of the oil giant, as reported by WSJ.

Peterson, who has represented powerful entities like Exxon, Microsoft, and Walmart, is said to have hired Israeli private investigator Amit Forlit to conduct a covert operation.

WSJ reports that according to U.S. prosecutors, this involved hacking into the email accounts of environmental activists and other Exxon critics. In a 2015 email, Peterson referred to the plan, stating his desire to “operationalize the research on the bad guys.”

While Peterson has not been directly charged or accused of hacking, court documents detail his involvement in commissioning the illegal activities, reports WSJ.

These documents are part of an ongoing U.S. criminal case against Forlit, who faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and computer hacking. Forlit, arrested in London in 2024, is currently fighting extradition to the U.S.

Peterson’s firm, DCI Group, cooperated with authorities in 2020 but has since had no contact with prosecutors, according to a DCI spokesperson.

“No one at DCI directed or was involved in any hacking alleged to have occurred a decade ago,” the spokesperson stated, adding that the firm believes the hacking allegations are part of a larger conspiracy narrative by “radical anti-oil activists,” as reported by WSJ.

Exxon, which severed ties with DCI in 2020, also denied involvement in the alleged hacking. An Exxon spokesman condemned any hacking activities, stating, “If there was any hacking involved, we condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” reports WSJ.

Forlit’s alleged role in the hacking operation is tied to a campaign that began in 2015 as Exxon’s climate change controversies gained traction. The hacking effort, according to prosecutors, was designed to gather damaging information about environmental groups and leak it to the press or use it in litigation, said WSJ.

Forlit employed hackers based in India to breach email accounts, and the stolen information was allegedly shared with Peterson and Exxon. Lee Wasserman, director of the Rockefeller Family Fund, which was among the targets, expressed frustration with the slow pace of justice.

“The wheels of justice are turning awfully slowly in this case but it’s heartening to know they are still rolling toward accountability at the heart of these crimes,” he said, as reported by WSJ.

The case also sheds light on Peterson’s behind-the-scenes influence. A former member of President Trump’s Puerto Rico oversight board, Peterson’s business flourished under Trump’s presidency, said WSJ.

He worked on campaigns for major corporations and political figures, cementing his position as a key player in Washington’s power circles. WSJ reports that the investigation reveals a range of tactics employed by Peterson and Forlit, including the theft of private communications and the targeting of influential climate activists.

These actions were allegedly part of a broader strategy to discredit Exxon’s critics and shift public opinion in favor of the oil industry.

WSJ says that a U.K. court is expected to rule soon on the U.S. request to extradite Forlit. Meanwhile, the broader implications of Peterson’s actions continue to unfold, drawing attention to the murky intersection of lobbying, hacking, and corporate influence in today’s political landscape.