A fake website and a deluge of CVs: the Australian firm embroiled in an FBI probe into alleged Chinese espionage
Summary
An Australian consulting firm called Horizzen was impersonated by a fake website used in an FBI investigation into Chinese espionage. The fake site tried to recruit people in the US for jobs in defense, trade, and politics, aiming to get sensitive information from them.Key Facts
- Horizzen is a small consultancy firm based in Brisbane, Australia, with mostly local clients.
- A fake website used Horizzen’s name and contact details to lure job applicants from mid-2025.
- The fake recruitment effort targeted people with defense and security experience, mostly in the US.
- The FBI seized Horizzen’s fake website and 12 other websites as part of a Chinese espionage probe.
- These fake sites were allegedly used to pay people for sensitive or classified information.
- The FBI said the fake firms used false names, stolen identities, and AI-generated photos to trick applicants.
- A related fake consultancy, Catalyst Global Solutions, was also involved and claimed to operate in Washington, DC.
- US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand intelligence agencies jointly warned that Chinese spies use fake recruiting firms to gather secrets.
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