Kash Patel says FBI caught hacker behind COVID data theft

Kash Patel said the FBI arrested Xu Zewei, a Chinese national accused of cyber attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summary

• Xu Zewei was extradited from Italy to face U.S. charges over alleged COVID research hacks.
• FBI linked Xu to HAFNIUM, accused of compromising nearly 13,000 U.S. organizations.
• Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic and Sarah Fitzpatrick.

Xu was extradited from Italy to the United States over the weekend. He is expected to face federal charges linked to hacking activity between 2020 and 2021.

Officials said Xu and others targeted U.S.-based universities and medical researchers. The attacks focused on institutions working on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

Alleged role in HAFNIUM operations

The FBI linked Xu to HAFNIUM, a group accused of a wide cyber intrusion campaign.

Authorities said the group compromised nearly 13,000 U.S. organizations. The activity included access to email accounts and sensitive research data.

Patel described the case as a major step in cyber enforcement. He said the operation shows authorities will act against threats targeting U.S. systems.

Additionally, the FBI worked with Italian officials to secure Xu’s arrest and extradition.

Patel thanked Italian police leadership for their role in the case. He said cooperation between agencies helped bring Xu into custody.

The FBI also confirmed joint operations during the investigation process. Officials said coordination remained active until extradition was completed.

Lawsuit against The Atlantic

At the same time, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick.

The complaint alleges the publication reported “false and obviously fabricated allegations” about his conduct as FBI Director.

The report claimed issues including drinking, absences, and erratic behavior. Patel disputes these claims and has taken the case to U.S. District Court in Washington.