The **U.S. Justice Department (DoJ)** has announced charges against 17 Iranian individuals, expanding on a 2018 indictment that targeted nine members of the same group. These individuals are accused of operating as a hacking-for-hire entity, **Mabna Institute**, conducting extensive cyber operations on behalf of the **Islamic Republic of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)**, other Iranian government bodies, universities, and private clients.  ### Expanding the Net: New Defendants and Broader Scope The eight newly charged individuals are: * **Saeid Houshyar** * **Behzad Mesri**, also known as “Skote Vahshat” * **Manouchehr Hashemloo** * **Keyvan Fayaz**, also known as “Achilles,” “The Joker,” and “bc.monster” * **Amir Barati** * **Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh** * **Arman Kahzadian** * **Mojtaba Galekuhi**, also known as “Mojtaba Ghaleh Koui” **U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald** stated, "Today’s charges, which include eight additional defendants, reveal the broader network allegedly behind a sweeping, state-sponsored campaign to steal research and intellectual property from American universities, businesses, and government institutions." He emphasized the DoJ's unwavering commitment to pursuing those who target the United States from abroad, regardless of the passage of time. ### A Decade of Cyber Espionage The operation, believed to have commenced around 2013, systematically targeted the accounts of over 100,000 professors globally, successfully compromising approximately 8,000 of them. This illicit access facilitated the theft of an estimated 31.5 terabytes of academic data, including journals, theses, dissertations, ebooks, and research across various disciplines, with a staggering estimated value of $3.4 billion. Victims of this extensive campaign include 178 universities (144 in the U.S.), at least 53 private firms (42 in the U.S.), two NGOs, and a minimum of 10 U.S. state agencies. Notably, the announcement highlighted **HBO** as one of the victims, reportedly extorted for $6 million in **Bitcoin**. ### Legal Consequences and Rewards for Justice The defendants face severe charges, including conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud, unauthorized access for financial gain, and aggravated identity theft. These offenses carry maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison. The **U.S. State Department** has also announced substantial rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the location of five of the 17 Iranian defendants: **Behzad Mesri**, **Mojtaba Galekuhi**, **Arman Kahzadian**, **Keyvan Fayaz**, and **Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh**. A **Tor** link has been provided to facilitate anonymous submissions, underscoring the seriousness of the pursuit. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.