Iranian hackers taunted former National Security Advisor John Bolton about files allegedly obtained from his email account that they said were classified, wishing ‘good luck’ to ‘Mr. Mustache’ as they threatened to leak the materials, an unsealed search warrant affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital revealed.
Bolton pleaded not guilty in October to eight counts of transmission of national defense information and ten counts of retention of national defense information. He had been indicted on 18 counts related to the improper handling of classified materials.
It was July 2021 when Bolton’s assistant contacted the FBI via email to alert the agency that Iran had obtained access to Bolton’s email account, according to the affidavit. Bolton’s team had notified the FBI that it would be deleting Bolton’s emails so the hackers could not obtain any additional sensitive information.
Weeks later, Bolton’s assistant contacted the FBI again to say he had received threatening emails that were believed to be related to the hack of Bolton’s AOL account.
‘The e-mail, the subject of which was ‘Re:New PW,’ as forwarded to the FBI, stated: ‘I do not think you would be interested in the FBI being aware of the leaked content of John’s email (some of which have been attached), especially after the recent acquittal. This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary’s emails were leaked, but this time on the GOP side! Contact me before it’s too late,’’ according to the warrant.
In August 2021, Bolton’s assistant flagged another email from the same account that threatened to leak portions of Bolton’s manuscript found in his email.
‘OK John…as you want (apparently), we’ll disseminate the expurgated sections of your book by reference to your leaked email,’ the email said. ‘Good luck Mr. Mustache!’
The affidavit in support of the search warrant from a raid on Bolton’s home in September was unsealed and obtained by Fox News Digital.
The affidavit supporting the search warrant revealed additional details about the case against Bolton.
‘CLASSIFIED INFORMATION’
According to the unsealed warrant, staff from the White House National Security Council visited Bolton’s home Sept. 10, 2019, to retrieve classified information and any government property after his termination as national security advisor.
The government had created a sensitive compartmented information facility, also known as a SCIF, in Bolton’s home Sept. 17, 2018. That SCIF was decertified Oct. 16, 2019, according to the warrant.
‘Based on my education, training and experience, I know that the installation of a SCIF within the TARGET RESIDENCE indicated that Bolton anticipated storing classified materials within the TARGET RESIDENCE during his tenure as APNSA,’ the affidavit states.
‘Once he was no longer APNSA, effective Sept. 10, 2019, his need-to-know expired, and any authorization for having access to the classified documents in the TARGET RESIDENCE was subsequently revoked.’
It was December 2019 when Bolton submitted a draft of his manuscript of ‘The Room Where It Happened,’ his memoir, to Ellen Knight, the National Security Council senior director for records, access and information security management.
Knight acknowledged receipt of the manuscript, according to the warrant, and notified Bolton that ‘based on a preliminary review, the manuscript appeared to contain significant amounts of classified information, to include information classified at the TOP SECRET level.’
Knight suggested Bolton modify and resubmit the manuscript due to the ‘large volume of classified information contained’ in it.
‘Knight indicated that, in all her experience, she had never seen that level of classified material and specificity of detail in a manuscript submitted for review,’ the affidavit said. ‘There were quotes from foreign leaders from negotiations with the President and details of foreign military actions which had not yet been publicly acknowledged by the foreign governments.
‘Based on her experience in reviewing manuscripts for pre-publication review and the level of detail contained in Bolton’s submission, Knight surmised that Bolton either had an incredible memory or had to be writing from notes he would have taken as APNSA. Knight explained that any such notes were likely classified, fall under the PRA, and should have been turned over by Bolton at the conclusion of his government service,’ the affidavit read.
