Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

demmiblue

(38,183 posts)
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 07:33 AM Wednesday

Exclusive: DOGE official at DOJ bragged about hacking, distributing pirated software

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - A top employee of billionaire Elon Musk who is now working in the U.S. Justice Department previously bragged about hacking and distributing pirated software, according to archived copies of his former websites reviewed by Reuters.

Christopher Stanley, a 33-year-old engineer who has worked at both Musk's social media company X and space-launch company SpaceX, is a senior advisor in the Deputy Attorney General's office, according to a former Justice Department official and a staff directory listing reviewed by Reuters.

Stanley was assigned there while working for Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency that President Donald Trump set up to slash the federal bureaucracy. Musk has said no "organization has been more transparent” than DOGE, but there’s been little public information on the responsibilities and background of its staff.

Stanley ran a series of websites and forums starting as far back as 2006, when he was 15, registration data preserved by the internet intelligence firm DomainTools shows. Several of those sites distributed pirated ebooks, bootleg software and video game cheats, according to copies maintained by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit whose 'Wayback Machine' preserves old websites.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/doge-official-doj-bragged-about-hacking-distributing-pirated-software-2025-04-02/

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Exclusive: DOGE official at DOJ bragged about hacking, distributing pirated software (Original Post) demmiblue Wednesday OP
Musk hired an unethical sociopath. No surprise. Ilsa Wednesday #1
You mean he hired *yet another* unethical sociopath. Eugene Wednesday #6
I'm in total agreement with you! nt Ilsa Wednesday #7
Thank you genius, another avenue to go after these Buddyzbuddy Wednesday #2
So none of Elon's DOGE hires had to have background checks, hmm? tanyev Wednesday #3
But they did. They were asked "Do you have a dodgy background?" If they said yes, Mucus said "You're DOGE!" . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #5
Criminals hire and hang out with criminals Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #4
DOGE is a criminal organization. dalton99a Wednesday #8

Ilsa

(62,666 posts)
1. Musk hired an unethical sociopath. No surprise.
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 07:45 AM
Wednesday

How many more are sifting though our data?

Eugene

(64,198 posts)
6. You mean he hired *yet another* unethical sociopath.
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 01:06 PM
Wednesday

Musk's crew of trusted engineers are younger versions of himself.

Buddyzbuddy

(623 posts)
2. Thank you genius, another avenue to go after these
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 08:15 AM
Wednesday

tech specialists, all of them. Any state laws broken, I wonder?

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,892 posts)
5. But they did. They were asked "Do you have a dodgy background?" If they said yes, Mucus said "You're DOGE!" . . . nt
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 09:12 AM
Wednesday

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,892 posts)
4. Criminals hire and hang out with criminals
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 09:11 AM
Wednesday

The tRump-Mucus regime is criminal. Full stop. Period. Convicted no less. It took seizing power on the thinnest of (broad) mandates to make more convictions not happen. That mandate has been blown away but the criminals still have power.

We have the power of the people (and that includes frightened republicans and repentant maga-adjacent).
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Exclusive: DOGE official ...