A 19-year-old member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team previously provided technical support to a cybercrime organization, according to a Reuters investigation published Wednesday.
Edward Coristine, known online as "Big Balls," founded network services company DiamondCDN while still in high school. The company provided services to a criminal group called "EGodly" between October 2022 and June 2023, just two years before Coristine joined DOGE.
The cybercrime group allegedly engaged in phone number hijacking, hacking law enforcement email accounts, and cryptocurrency theft. In early 2023, EGodly targeted an FBI agent by releasing his personal information, including his phone number and photos of his residence. The group also recorded themselves harassing the agent outside his home.
EGodly publicly acknowledged DiamondCDN's support on Telegram: "We extend our gratitude to our valued partners DiamondCDN for generously providing us with their amazing DDoS protection and caching systems."
Before joining DOGE, Coristine briefly worked in Silicon Valley but was dismissed from a cybersecurity internship for allegedly leaking company information to competitors. He now serves as a "senior adviser" to the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, with access to sensitive information about American diplomats and national security operations.
The revelations raise concerns about DOGE's hiring practices and security protocols. The team has access to millions of Americans' personal and financial data, including social security numbers.
Neither Musk's team nor Coristine responded to requests for comment from Reuters. On social media platform X, Musk previously praised the teen, stating "Big Balls is awesome."