An international investigation has uncovered the existence of an obscure Israel-based company suspected of influencing elections through disinformation campaigns. Which polls are affected? And how ?
Have 33 elections around the world been influenced by one man, his army of tech, and the thousands of fake digital accounts he created? This is suggested by a survey conducted by the international consortium of journalists Forbidden Stories, to which contribute The world And French Radio. Several articles published this Wednesday, February 15, 2023 revealed the existence of an Israel-based company dubbed “Team Jorge” which claims to have interfered in election campaigns. “We intervened in 33 electoral campaigns at the presidential level. Two-thirds of them in English-speaking and French-speaking Africa. 27 were a success”, boasted one of the members of the company to journalists.
The elements collected by the investigative journalists who worked on this case have brought to light at least four elections in which Team Jorge would have had an influence in nearly ten years. At least one in Europe and three in Africa have been formally identified, even if the real impact of this enterprise could not be measured, nor the possible actions detailed.
2014 Catalan independence referendum
Since the beginning of the 2000s, Catalonia – a region of Spain – has experienced a new push for independence. Between 2006 and 2017, four referenda were organized to consult the population on the future of the wealthy province which seeks to become fully autonomous. On November 9, 2014, a vote on the political future of the community is organized. Legally, the ballot is not recognized by the Constitutional Court, which declares it void, considering that the Catalan president cannot summon his constituents to the polls for such a decision, the central power of Madrid being alone competent to decide. Despite everything, the vote is organized and 2.3 million people (out of 7.5 million voters) take part, declaring themselves at 80% for Catalonia to become an independent state.
Nine years later, French Radio reveals that Team Jorge would have intervened in this election. At what level ? A “sabotage” is mentioned, without being substantiated. The term is used because it is used by the company in a video presentation of its actions to potential customers. In this document viewed by journalists from the consortium, Team Jorge is proud “to have also participated in the sabotage of several elections” but did not detail the actions put in place. The publication of new articles in the days to come, in particular on the site ofEl Paisthe main Spanish newspaper, will it help to learn more?
Presidential election in Nigeria in 2015
Among the electoral campaigns in which Team Jorge was allegedly involved is that in Nigeria in 2015. At the time, the outgoing president, good luck jonathan, is running for re-election. In office since 2010, he faces the same opponent as during his first victory: Muhammadu Buhari. During this campaign, Team Jorge would have played a role, as confirmed by members of the company at World. The English newspaper The Guardian -who also participated in the investigation- abounds in this direction, affirming that “documents disclosed to the Guardian confirm that Team Jorge was involved in the 2015 elections in Nigeria.”
But what missions were carried out? The mystery remains intact. The investigation was directed towards the theft of emails sent by opponents of Goodluck Jonathan, but journalists were told that “the actions were not related to a hacking of opponents’ emails.” Support for the outgoing president did not pay off as Goodluck Jonathan lost, winning only 31.98% of the vote, against 58.89% for his opponent on April 16, 2015, after a week’s delay in the election. .
Presidential election in Senegal in 2019
As in Nigeria, Team Jorge is involved in the presidential campaign of Senegal, in favor of the outgoing president, Macky Sall, reports The world. Elected in 2012 for a seven-year term, he intended to keep his chair. The Israeli company then helped him beat his two adversaries, even if nothing allows us to say with certainty that the president-candidate knew about it. The Guardian explains that “the team was involved in spreading disinformation”, using digital robots.
What was the real influence of Team Jorge in the campaign? Impossible to determine. However, Macky Sall was re-elected for a five-year term (the term had been revised downwards) by winning 58.26% of the votes cast.
Presidential election in Kenya in 2022
The action of Team Jorge continues even today. Lately, it is in the presidential campaign of Kenya that the company would have intervened. In a meeting with reporters from the consortium (who were undercover), Tal Hanan, the boss of Team Jorge, said on July 25: “So just to give you an example, it’s in the news these last days, we are now involved in an election and in Africa.” The vote in Kenya was organized on August 9.
This election saw mainly clash Raila Odingacandidate supported by the outgoing president, and William Rutoex-close to the outgoing president before a falling out pushes him to embark on the race for the supreme office. The Guardian claims that during this campaign, Team Jorge hacked at least three of William Ruto’s political advisers, in a process shown live to undercover journalists as a demonstration. The company would have managed to infiltrate a Gmail box and two Telegram accounts. Enough to allow Team Jorge to send messages on behalf of the person without the latter knowing. And therefore “sowing confusion” as Tal Hanan says because “the most important thing is to put sticks between the right people.”
However, the details of the actions carried out by these processes (and/or others) were not disclosed by the boss of Team Jorge. However, William Ruto’s destabilization operation failed since the candidate was finally elected President of Kenya with barely 230,000 votes ahead of 14.3 million voters (50.49% against 48.45%).
Are other elections affected?
In addition to these four ballots identified by journalists, Team Jorge would have intervened in around thirty others. Speaking of participating in “presidential-level campaigns”, Tal Hanan suggests that he mainly works for the powers that be. But not only. Because according to his statements to journalists, reported by The Guardianhe would also have access “to the email inboxes of senior government officials elsewhere on the (African) continent.” The world notably mentions access to the Gmail account of a minister from Mozambique.