Truth, as the old adage goes, can be stranger than fiction, and that description fits FBI Director Kash Patel remarkably well, according to critics who view him as a particularly weak link in the Trump administration, due to a bizarre blunder that could have been avoided.
And one could reasonably argue that this was a misstep that someone of ordinary intelligence would not likely commit, let alone the head of the United States’ premier law enforcement agency, perhaps even the world.
Hackers linked to Iran broke into Patel’s personal email account, stole photos and other personal documents, and then posted them online, according to numerous news organizations and confirmed by both the bureau and the pro-Palestinian hacker group Handala Hack Team.
Handala said Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims,” Reuters reported.
‘This Is Delusional’: Trump Goes on Frenzied Late Night Post Spree, Creates a Word, Then He Floats an Idea That Crosses a Line He Can’t Walk Back
The items the group published include goofy photos of Patel smoking and sniffing a cigar, standing next to a red convertible, a selfie of the FBI chief smiling and holding a large bottle of rum, additional selfies, a resume, and other documents.
Reports indicate Handala hacked Patel’s same Gmail account, which had also been breached in a 2024 attack, and Reuters confirmed through a dark web intelligence firm that the address matches those targeted in previous attacks.
So the head of the FBI continued using an account that was certainly breached on at least one previous occasion and possibly more.
Needless to say, social media users had a field day.
Threads user Ashley Renee pointed out, “This is the administration that keeps saying it is restoring American strength and that we are a ‘respected nation again.’”
View on Threads
This poster hilariously responded, “Noooooo, do Lewandowski first, please please please,” referring to fired Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s alleged lover and longtime Trump supporter Corey Lewandoswki who was acting as Noem’s de facto chief of staff before President Donald Trump gave her the boot earlier in March.
Another chimed in, “Love this. Do Stevie Miller next, please Iran?” A reference there to Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the architect behind many of Trump’s cruelest policies, including an ongoing brutal immigration crackdown.
Of course, never a day passes without demands for the complete Epstein file release, which another Trump lackey, Attorney General Pam Bondi, has been dragging her feet on, even after a congressional mandate and various court rulings. And it came up again, related to the Patel hack.
“Can someone get the Epstein files, please?” Threads user Kelly Kelp jokingly begged.
Another Threads user jumped in, “What complete and utter useless morons. My god.”
The Times of London reported that the FBI is offering a $10 million reward for information identifying Handala group members after confirming Patel’s email was hacked by “malicious actors.” The Department of Justice also said Patel’s photos and documents appear to be authentic.
