3 former U.S. intelligence operatives caught working as “mercenary hackers” for the UAE

The defendants' Marc Baier, Ryan Adams, and Daniel Gericke are accused of working as senior managers at a UAE-based company that conducted hacking operations on behalf of the government. Prosecutors say the men provided hacking and intelligence-gathering systems that were used to break into computers in the United State and elsewhere in the world.

The 3 entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the federal government in which they admitted their conduct and agreed to give up $1.7 million and U.S. security clearances, restrict their future employment and “cooperate fully” with investigators.

In addition, they will also force the men to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigation and to sever any ties with any UAE intelligence or law enforcement agencies. If they comply with those terms for three years, the Justice Department will not move forward with any prosecution.

Hackers-for-hire and those who otherwise support such activities in violation of U.S. law should fully expect to be prosecuted for their criminal conduct," Mark Lesko, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's national security division, said in a statement.