A former FBI SA is out on $100,000 bond after being arrested for attempting to expose a covert Russian intelligence campaign to gain influence over Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The decorated counterintelligence agent has nearly two decades of service, specializing in Russian espionage operations. The SA had previously been commended for his work uncovering sleeper cells and disinformation networks operating inside the US. The SA became alarmed after obtaining intelligence suggesting that Russian military intelligence (GRU) had successfully cultivated relationships with high-profile Silicon Valley billionaires, using a combination of flattery, backchannel political access, and subtle kompromat. When his superiors allegedly refused to escalate the matter, he attempted to alert the public through unofficial channels, an act the Department of Justice quickly branded as an unlawful release of classified material.