"Fox Hunt": The Israeli private investigator who got entangled in a big US case

Amit Forlit, a former Shin Bet private investigator, is accused in the US of running a criminal organization as part of a cyber and industrial espionage case. According to the indictment, he hired hackers in India to break into the email accounts of environmental activists, aiming to discredit them and thwart billion-dollar lawsuits against energy corporations. Forlit denies all charges.

Amit Forlit, an Israeli private investigator with a background in the Shin Bet security service, is accused in the United States of running a global criminal organization. The indictment, filed by the US Department of Justice, attributes to him the management of a cyber and industrial espionage operation dubbed "Fox Hunt." As part of the operation, hackers in India were hired to break into the email accounts of American environmental activists. The goal of the hacks, according to the indictment, was to discredit the activists and thwart billion-dollar lawsuits filed against energy corporations for concealing the damages of the climate crisis. Forlit, who surrendered to US authorities and is awaiting trial in New York, denies all charges against him. The article describes Forlit's character, blending covert activity with a penchant for nightlife, and details his career progression from Tel Aviv nightclubs to the international arena, including work for hedge funds and leading law firms.