Ex-Twitter Employee Convicted of Spying for Saudi Arabia

Former Twitter employee Ahmad Abouammo was found guilty of spying for the government of Saudi Arabia by the jury in a San Francisco federal court.

Abouammo was also convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and falsifying records. At Twitter, Abouammo worked as a media partnerships manager and helped prominent figures in MENA promote their accounts.

However, the former employee abused his position to access the email addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates of users who criticized the Saudi government. Between November 2014 and May 2015, Abouammo transmitted that information to Saudi officials and received gifts in return.

In 2019, the Department of Justice charged Abouammo and another former Twitter employee, Ali Alzabarah, with espionage. The agency later expanded those charges in 2020 to include a third individual, Ahmed Almutairi, who allegedly coordinated the scheme.

Abouammo faces 10 to 20 years in prison when sentenced.