On June 10, 2026, the US Department of Justice and FBI announced they seized and disabled 13 internet domains linked to suspected Chinese espionage activities targeting US officials [1, 2, 3, 4]. These websites posed as consulting firms offering fake analyst or consulting positions to recruit current and former US government and military personnel with security clearances [1, 2, 3].
Authorities said the sites pressured targets to provide sensitive or classified information on US national security, foreign policy, and government operations [1, 3, 4]. The operation involved AI-generated profile photos and used platforms such as LinkedIn, Upwork, and Expertia AI to conceal identities and payments, including cryptocurrency [1, 4, 5].
The FBI took control of the websites and replaced their content with warnings that the domains are now law enforcement controlled [4, 6]. The 13 seized sites used fictitious names including Centrik Global Consulting and Finnacle-Vesper Consulting [7, 8].
Officials said the scheme offered monetary compensation for insider reports covering US-China relations, Iran, and Middle East conflicts [7]. Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said, "The fake consulting company domains seized by the FBI illustrate the lengths the Chinese government’s intelligence services will go to as they try to use AI-generated content to trick, recruit, or coerce current and former US security clearance holders into sharing sensitive information" [1].
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance issued a joint warning on June 3 about China's use of recruitment platforms for espionage, including LinkedIn [2, 9, 10]. John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said, "These domain seizures offer a glimpse at how foreign actors can use promises of easy money to lure Americans into revealing sensitive or classified information that they are duty‑bound to protect" and urged caution for online consulting offers [11].
Chinese embassy officials in Washington and Beijing denied the allegations, calling them fabricated and malicious slander [1, 10]. They condemned the accusations of Chinese intelligence involvement as groundless [10]. The DOJ and FBI noted the website operators deny any foreign government involvement despite US assertions [3, 9].
According to FBI court filings, the fake consulting websites were established starting November 2023 to recruit US personnel on behalf of Chinese intelligence [8]. Jeanine Pirro, Columbia District Federal Prosecutor, said, "This operation sends a clear signal: any attempt to use Americans with access to the most sensitive information to intercept communications will be exposed and dismantled" [2].
