FBI Searched Home of Kraken Founder Jesse Powell
The F.B.I. searched the home of Kraken founder Jesse Powell in March as part of a criminal investigation into claims that he hacked and cyber-stalked a nonprofit that he founded.
- "The investigation focused on an allegation by the nonprofit that Mr. Powell had interfered with its computer accounts, blocking access to emails and other messages."
- "Powell founded Verge, the Sacramento arts group, in 2007. Last year, the group removed him from its board of directors, citing his failure to attend board meetings and violations of the organization’s “guiding principles,” according to court records."
"The removal took place after an article in The Times detailed Mr. Powell’s efforts to incite debates about race and gender that some Kraken employees found offensive."
- "After Mr. Powell’s dismissal, he blocked Verge from using its website, emails and internal messaging system, and improperly accessed confidential information stored in those accounts, according to a letter that Verge’s lawyer, Phillip Cunningham, sent to Kraken in November."
- "Last month, Mr. Powell sued Verge in state court in Sacramento, claiming his ouster was improper and that he owned Verge’s digital accounts. Mr. Cunningham, Verge’s lawyer, said Mr. Powell’s claims did not have any merit."
"Agents searched Mr. Powell’s home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and seized electronic devices, according to a person familiar with the search and documents reviewed by The New York Times. Prosecutors have not accused Mr. Powell of any crimes."
- "Agents with the F.B.I. and the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of California have been looking into Mr. Powell since at least last fall, three people with knowledge of the case said."
Kraken was just ordered to turn user information from 2016-2020 to the IRS (see quoted tweet)
— Pledditor (@Pledditor) June 30, 2023
What are the odds that the IRS is *really* just after Jesse Powell? https://t.co/ssQth0rU5I pic.twitter.com/aPxqeTgutu
