DOGE Team Member Linked to Cybercrime Gang?

A recent report has raised eyebrows regarding a member of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team. Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old known as “Big Balls,” is alleged to have provided network support to a cybercrime gang.

According to a Reuters investigation, Coristine’s company, DiamondCDN, offered network services starting in 2022. One of DiamondCDN’s clients was a website called dataleak.fun, operated by the cybercriminal group “EGodly.”

EGodly publicly thanked DiamondCDN for DDoS protection and caching systems in February 2023, claiming Coristine’s company helped them secure their website. During that period, EGodly boasted about hijacking phone numbers, breaching law enforcement emails in Latin America, and stealing cryptocurrency. They even distributed the personal information of an FBI agent investigating them.

A former FBI agent confirmed that EGodly was under investigation for potential connections to swatting incidents, describing them as a dangerous group.

Cybersecurity researcher Nitin Natarajan expressed concern about someone with ties to cybercriminals having access to sensitive government networks.

Further investigation revealed Coristine’s involvement with Tesla.Sexy LLC, established when he was 16. This company controls numerous web domains, including Russian-registered domains and an AI bot for Discord servers targeting the Russian market.

Adding another layer to the story, journalist Jacob Silverman reported that Coristine’s great-grandfather was a KGB agent during the Cold War.

Coristine’s past also includes being fired from a cybersecurity internship for allegedly leaking information and his frequent engagement with online communities associated with cybercrime.

These revelations have sparked questions about the vetting process for DOGE staff and whether adequate background checks were conducted.