Montenegro Extradites Amir Barati to U.S. for Hacking

By Tony Fredericks Denver, CO · PODGORICA —

Published Updated 4 min read

Montenegro extradited Amir Barati to the United States on October 1, 2026, to face federal hacking charges. The indictment alleges his cyberattacks caused $3.4 billion in damage and targeted hundreds of universities.

PODGORICA — Montenegro extradited Amir Barati to the United States on October 1, 2026. The 40-year-old dual national of Iran and Turkey faces federal hacking charges in the U.S. Southern District of New York.

Barati was arrested by Montenegrin authorities in June 2026 in Kotor at the request of the FBI. A superseding indictment unsealed in August 2026 charged him and 16 other Iranian nationals with hacking activities. The extradition resulted from the exchange of operational and intelligence information between Montenegrin and U.S. law enforcement agencies.

The indictment alleges the cyberattacks caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage. Police allege Barati began carrying out cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in 2013 while working with an Iran-based entity identified as the Mabna Institute. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the Mabna Institute is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Court documents allege Barati helped track the progress of the hacks and created targeting lists for the private sector. He faced seven counts, including conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud, computer fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. indictment. The indictment states the suspects stole over 31 terabytes of scientific resources, academic data, intellectual property, and employee email accounts.

Prosecutors allege the stolen data was used to benefit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian organizations. The indictment states the stolen information was handed over to the Iranian government and sold to Iranian universities.

The attacks targeted 144 universities in the U.S. and 178 abroad. They also breached about 8,000 email accounts belonging to professors in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. The indictment states the attacks targeted 42 private companies in the U.S. and 11 abroad.

The Justice Department stated that among the breached private U.S. companies were 11 tech firms and two defense contractors. HBO is among the companies allegedly victimized by the hacking scheme. The indictment states the intrusions targeted five U.S. government agencies and at least two NGOs. Other members of the conspiracy allegedly hacked the Department of Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United Nations.

Barati founded the Iran Black Hats Team in his early twenties and later co-founded the Digital Boys Underground Team. Both groups were linked to attacks on academic, commercial, and government websites, including systems associated with NASA, Microsoft, MIT, and the U.S. military. In 2010, Barati was arrested by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry and allegedly coerced into working for them for several years before fleeing to Turkey.

His one-year prison sentence was never enforced. Barati moved to Turkey in 2021, where he obtained Turkish citizenship and legally changed his name through a Turkish court. Iranian state media reports stated his dual citizenship was formalized in 2021 after he legally changed his name and relocated.

Extraditions of Iranian state-linked hackers to the U.S. are rare due to the regime’s typical avoidance of jurisdictions with U.S. extradition treaties. Montenegro has extradited seven individuals wanted by the FBI and U.S. authorities over the past three years, as part of a cooperation effort between Montenegrin NCB Interpol Podgorica and the FBI. The U.S. government is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information on five Iranian hackers: Mesri, Galekuhi, Kahzadian, Fayaz, and Ballojeh.

Why It Matters

This extradition marks a development in international law enforcement cooperation regarding cybercrime. The case shows the scale of alleged cyber espionage, with damages estimated at $3.4 billion and data theft affecting hundreds of universities and thousands of email accounts. The involvement of the Mabna Institute, linked to the IRGC, reflects allegations of state-sponsored hacking.

Montenegro’s role in this extradition reflects its ongoing cooperation with U.S. authorities. Over the past three years, Montenegro has extradited seven individuals wanted by the FBI, demonstrating a sustained partnership between Montenegrin NCB Interpol Podgorica and the FBI. This action follows the arrest of Barati in Kotor in June 2026 and the unsealing of a superseding indictment in August 2026. The case remains active as Barati faces charges in the U.S. Southern District of New York.

Timeline

Police allege Amir Barati began carrying out cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in 2013 while working with an Iran-based entity. Amir Barati moved to Turkey in 2021, where he later became a citizen and legally changed his first and last names.

Montenegrin authorities arrested Amir Barati in June 2026 in Kotor at the request of the FBI. A superseding indictment unsealed in August 2026 charged Amir Barati and 16 other Iranian nationals with hacking activities. On October 1, 2026, Montenegrin Interpol extradited Iranian-Turkish dual national Amir Barati to the United States, who is accused by Washington authorities of causing damage to the United States in the amount of 3.4 billion U.S. dollars.

What's New

Later reporting indicates that Montenegrin Interpol extradited Iranian-Turkish dual national Amir Barati to the United States on October 1, 2026, who is accused by Washington authorities of causing damage to the United States in the amount of 3.4 billion U.S. dollars. Additional details reveal that Barati’s dual citizenship was formalized in 2021 after he legally changed his name and relocated to Turkey, according to Iranian state media reports.

Further background shows Amir Barati was previously arrested by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in 2010 and allegedly coerced into working for them for several years before fleeing to Turkey. Barati had previously moved to Turkey in 2021, where he obtained Turkish citizenship and legally changed his name through a Turkish court, likely to evade detection. Reports note Barati was arrested by Iran's Intelligence Ministry in 2010, but his one-year prison sentence was never enforced, suggesting potential involvement with Iranian security agencies or protection from prosecution.

fact_check Facts

Montenegro extradited Amir Barati to the United States.
Amir Barati is a 40-year-old dual national of Iran and Turkey.
Montenegrin authorities arrested Amir Barati in June 2026 in Kotor at the request of the FBI.
Amir Barati faces charges in the U.S. Southern District of New York, including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft.
A superseding indictment unsealed in August 2026 charged Amir Barati and 16 other Iranian nationals with hacking activities.
Police allege Amir Barati began carrying out cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in 2013 while working with an Iran-based entity.
The indictment identifies the Iran-based entity as the Mabna Institute.
The indictment states the attacks targeted 144 universities in the U.S. and 178 abroad.
The indictment states the attacks breached about 8,000 email accounts belonging to professors in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere.
Prosecutors allege the stolen data was used to benefit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian organizations.
The indictment states the stolen information was handed over to the Iranian government and sold to Iranian universities.
The indictment states the attacks targeted 42 private companies in the U.S. and 11 abroad.
The Justice Department stated that among the breached private U.S. companies were 11 tech firms and two defense contractors.
Court documents allege Amir Barati helped track the progress of the hacks and created targeting lists for the private sector.
The indictment states the intrusions targeted five U.S. government agencies and at least two NGOs.
Other members of the conspiracy allegedly hacked the Department of Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United Nations.
The extradition resulted from the exchange of operational and intelligence information between Montenegrin and U.S. law enforcement agencies.

menu_bookBackground & Context

Context and data our newsroom added to the originating report.

The U.S. government is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information on five Iranian hackers: Mesri, Galekuhi, Kahzadian, Fayaz, and Ballojeh.
Montenegrin Interpol extradited Iranian-Turkish dual national Amir Barati to the United States on October 1, 2026, who is accused by Washington authorities of causing damage to the United States in the amount of 3.4 billion US dollars.
Barati’s dual citizenship (Iranian and Turkish) was formalized in 2021 after he legally changed his name and relocated to Turkey, according to Iranian state media reports.
Amir Barati was previously arrested by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in 2010 and allegedly coerced into working for them for several years before fleeing to Turkey.
Barati was arrested by Iran's Intelligence Ministry in 2010, but his one-year prison sentence was never enforced, suggesting potential involvement with Iranian security agencies or protection from prosecution.
Barati had previously moved to Turkey in 2021, where he obtained Turkish citizenship and legally changed his name through a Turkish court, likely to evade detection.
Montenegro has extradited seven individuals wanted by the FBI and U.S. authorities over the past three years, as part of a cooperation effort between Montenegrin NCB Interpol Podgorica and the FBI.
The Mabna Institute, the Iran-based entity allegedly involved in the hacking campaign, is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Extraditions of Iranian state-linked hackers to the U.S. are exceptionally rare due to the regime’s typical avoidance of jurisdictions with U.S. extradition treaties.
Amir Barati founded the Iran Black Hats Team in his early twenties and later co-founded the Digital Boys Underground Team, both of which were linked to attacks on academic, commercial, and government websites, including systems associated with NASA, Microsoft, MIT, and the U.S. military.
The indictment against Barati and 17 others includes allegations that they stole over 31 terabytes of scientific resources, academic data, intellectual property, and employee email accounts from targeted institutions.

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