Kash Patel said the FBI has arrested Shu Zewei, a Chinese national accused of cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Xu Zewei has been extradited from Italy to face US charges over alleged coronavirus research hacking. The FBI linked Mr. Xu to Hafnium, which is accused of compromising approximately 13,000 U.S. organizations. Kash Patel has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and Sarah Fitzpatrick.
Mr. Xu was extradited to the United States from Italy over the weekend. He is expected to face federal charges related to his hacking activities in 2020 and 2021.
Officials said Xu and his group targeted U.S.-based universities and medical researchers. The attack focused on agencies working on vaccines and treatments for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Suspected of involvement in Operation Hafnium
The FBI has linked Mr. Xu to HAFNIUM, a group accused of widespread cyber intrusion campaigns.
Authorities said the group had infiltrated approximately 13,000 organizations in the United States. This activity included accessing email accounts and sensitive research data.
Patel described the case as an important step in cyber law enforcement. He said the operation shows authorities will act against threats targeting U.S. systems.
Additionally, the FBI worked with Italian authorities to secure Mr. Xu’s arrest and extradition.
Mr Patel thanked the Italian police leadership for its role in this incident. He said cooperation between authorities helped bring Mr. Xu into custody.
The FBI also acknowledged the joint operation during the investigation. Officials said coordination continues until the handover is complete.
Lawsuit against Atlantic
At the same time, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick.
The complaint alleges that the publication published “false and clearly fabricated allegations” about his conduct as FBI director.
The report cited problems such as alcohol consumption, absenteeism and erratic behavior. Mr. Patel disputed these claims and filed suit in U.S. District Court in Washington.
