Montenegro arrest of Iranian‑Turkish hacker

Montenegrin police, working with the U.S. FBI, detained 39‑year‑old dual Iranian‑Turkish national Amir Barati (also listed as A.B.) in Kotor. Barati is accused of directing a multi‑year hacking campaign that compromised more than 150 American universities and other targets from 2013 onward, inflicting damages estimated at $3.4 billion. U.S. investigators say the stolen data were passed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian entities.

Barati is charged in the United States with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking and identity theft. Montenegrin authorities describe him as a “high‑profile target in the area of cyber and organized crime.” The case will be forwarded to a High Court judge in Podgorica, where a decision on the U.S. extradition request will be made. Montenegro, a NATO member, coordinated the operation with Interpol’s FAST team and the FBI as part of a broader effort to apprehend individuals sought by U.S. law‑enforcement agencies.