A notorious Iranian hacker, who had been on the FBI’s wanted list, was reportedly killed last week in a collaborative Israeli operation targeting Iran, as reported by an Iranian media source.
Mohammad Mehdi Farhadi Ramin, accused of identity theft involving American citizens and breaching national security systems, met his end in the city of Hamadan, according to Iran International. His funeral is said to have taken place on Monday.
The FBI had been seeking Farhadi since 2020 due to his suspected involvement in cybercrimes dating back to at least 2013. Among the allegations, Farhadi was believed to have infiltrated various sectors, including companies, universities, U.S. defense contractors, and nonprofits, to siphon off confidential information. Authorities also accused him of stealing credit card details and Social Security numbers from U.S. citizens, which he then allegedly used to finance illegal activities and sell on the black market.
Farhadi’s indictment was issued by a federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, on September 15, 2020. He was charged with participating in a large-scale, coordinated cyber intrusion campaign purportedly orchestrated for the Iranian government.
Mehdi Farhadi has been wanted by U.S. authorities since 2020. (FBI)
Ramin was first indicted on Sept. 15, 2020, by a federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, for his alleged involvement in a massive, coordinated cyber intrusion campaign on behalf of the Iranian government.
Ramin and a co‑defendant reportedly vandalized websites with ideological messaging meant to project Iranian influence, including images of burning Israeli flags and threats that appeared to “signal the demise” of countries viewed as rivals to Iran, including the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia.
An aerial view shows the cityscape of Hamadan, Iran, on Dec. 14, 2025. (Mobina / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
“They brazenly infiltrated computer systems and targeted intellectual property and often sought to intimidate perceived enemies of Iran, including dissidents fighting for human rights in Iran and around the world,” the Justice Department previously said.
“This conduct threatens our national security, and as a result, these defendants are wanted by the FBI and are considered fugitives from justice.”
An FBI wanted poster alleges that Mehdi Farhadi committed “malicious cyber activity” targeting the U.S. and other countries. (FBI)
Authorities alleged that the suspect also compromised email accounts by creating hidden automated forwarding rules that secretly sent all incoming and outgoing emails directly to him and his co-conspirators.
Top Iranian hacker Mehdi Farhadi was reportedly killed last week in Iran. (FBI)
Officials emphasized that these actions allowed Iran to access a massive volume of stolen information, including hundreds of terabytes of data related to national security, foreign policy, civilian nuclear research, aerospace and unpublished scientific studies.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon for more information.
