The attack on Kash Patel: details confirmed. The hacking group Handala Hack Team, also known as Handala, is believed to be linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), according to U.S. authorities and cybersecurity experts. The group has claimed responsibility for hacking the personal Gmail account of Kash Patel, who has served as FBI director since 2025 and is close to Donald Trump.
The revelations include more than 300 emails, mostly from 2010 to 2019, as well as personal documents, including an old résumé, and about a dozen private photos. Among them is a striking image: Kash Patel, smiling, on vacation in Havana (Cuba), sitting at the legendary bar La Bodeguita del Medio, a spot favored by Hemingway. Other photos show him in front of cars with Cuban license plates, smoking cigars, or relaxing, such as in a selfie with a bottle of rum or posing near the Hemingway statue at the Floridita. These files were published on the group’s website (handala-team.to) and on Telegram, accompanied by a mocking comment stating that Kash Patel, who once saw his name proudly displayed at FBI headquarters, is now among their hacked victims. This is just the beginning.
Nature of the attack: This is an opportunistic hack-and-leak operation, not an attempt to breach FBI systems. The information comes from a former personal, non-government Gmail account. The FBI and the Department of Justice have confirmed the authenticity of the leaks, specifying that no classified or current government data is involved. All of the information is historical and personal.
The motive: It’s a direct act of retaliation against the FBI. On March 19, 2026, U.S. authorities seized several properties belonging to the Handala Group, and the State Department offered up to $10 million for information.