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(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
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NARRATOR: It started on the online
chat platform Discord,
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a post by a person known
only as Lucca.
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Classified US intelligence
documents.
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One batch after another.
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Documents labelled 'Top Secret'
soon spilled onto social media.
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Documents labelled 'Top Secret'
That's when it made headlines.
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That's when it made headlines.
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REPORTER: Top-secret documents
about the war in Ukraine
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REPORTER: Top-secret documents
have appeared on social media.
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have appeared on social media.
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Investigations are underway
into the leak
have appeared on social media.
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Investigations are underway
into the leak
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Investigations are underway
into the leak
of classified Pentagon documents.
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of classified Pentagon documents.
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The Pentagon is dealing
with the fallout from the worst leak
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of US national security intelligence
in many years.
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Top-secret documents show Ukraine's
air defence vulnerability.
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SAMUEL OAKFORD:
After this hit the news,
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SAMUEL OAKFORD:
we're trying to figure out
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we're trying to figure out
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A, the extent of the leak
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and B, obviously who leaked it.
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We were looking into Lucca,
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trying to find traces of him
across the web.
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Sam Oakford
is on the visual forensics team
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at The Washington Post.
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I got in touch with someone else
in this Discord server
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I got in touch with someone else
and we had a video call.
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and we had a video call.
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He was clear that Lucca
was not the originator
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of these leaked documents.
He was clear that Lucca
was not the originator
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of these leaked documents.
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He showed me what he said
were additional documents
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that hadn't been in the tranche
that Lucca was tied to.
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Shane Harris is a national-security
reporter at The Post.
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SHANE HARRIS: Sam sends me a picture
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that this source has taken
of a document and shared with Sam.
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Oh. Wow.
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OK, it's the Chinese spy balloon
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that had some months earlier
drifted over North America.
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And this appears to be a picture
taken from above the spy balloon,
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which means it could only come from
a government surveillance platform.
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I thought, "How does a teenager
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"have access
to highly classified documents?"
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A few hours later
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the source called back.
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SAMUEL OAKFORD: This is a recording
the source called back.
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SAMUEL OAKFORD: This is a recording
from a call I had that night.
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That's when this story started.
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The reporters arranged
to meet the source in person.
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We're sitting on this park bench
and this kid arrives,
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We're sitting on this park bench
and before we've even got a chance
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and before we've even got a chance
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to start introducing ourselves
and before we've even got a chance
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to start introducing ourselves
to each other, he says,
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"So, I have this information
and I want to give it to you."
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"So, I have this information
He pops open the laptop,
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He pops open the laptop,
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and it's pretty clear
within a minute or two
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that this kid has an astonishing
range of classified documents.
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The leak was far bigger
than anyone had understood.
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The leak was far bigger
More than 300 pages
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More than 300 pages
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that included some of the most
More than 300 pages
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that included some of the most
highly classified information
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that included some of the most
in the US government,
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in the US government,
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from secret Pentagon assessments
of the war in Ukraine
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to revelations
about Iran's nuclear program
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to scenarios about a possible
Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
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And that's when he starts
to tell us the story
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And that's when he starts
of a group of friends
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of a group of friends
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who he made online
during the pandemic
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in a Discord server
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that they called
Thug Shaker Central.
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that they called
And he described one individual
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And he described one individual
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who, over the course of many months,
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had shared hundreds and hundreds
of classified documents.
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As the reporters were returning home
with the documents...
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..the FBI was closing in
on a suspect.
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REPORTER: Jack Teixeira...
REPORTER: Jack Douglas Teixeira...
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REPORTER: Jack Teixeira...
REPORTER: Jack Teixeira,
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REPORTER: Jack Teixeira,
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the man suspected of leaking highly
REPORTER: Jack Teixeira,
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the man suspected of leaking highly
classified military documents,
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the man suspected of leaking highly
has been found.
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has been found.
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REPORTER:
That's him in the red shorts there.
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The 21-year-old Massachusetts
Air National Guard member
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was taken into custody
earlier today.
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SAMUEL OAKFORD: This 21-year-old
Air National Guardman
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is alleged to have disclosed
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hundreds of top-secret
government documents online
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hundreds of top-secret
to his gaming buddies.
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to his gaming buddies.
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Why did he do it?
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How did he do it?
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What drove him?
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Who is he?
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Over the next six months
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reporters at The Washington Post
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would investigate
Jack Teixeira's world.
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It largely played out online.
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SAMUEL OAKFORD:
Our whole team was working on this,
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creating networks, basically,
of people
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based on their social-media
profiles,
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because they interacted
in some way with Jack
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because they interacted
or someone he was connected to.
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or someone he was connected to.
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Chris Dehghanpoor specialises
in tracking down sources online.
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He worked as an information security
engineer at a gaming platform
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before becoming an investigative
reporter at The Post.
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The first thing I tried to do
was to find his Steam profile.
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Steam is an online gaming network
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that is very popular
with users on Discord.
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And, if we could find
his friend list,
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we could start
to kind of build out a network
And, if we could find
his friend list,
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we could start
to kind of build out a network
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of other users
that he was interacting with.
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of other users
that he was interacting with.
Here's a list of people that both
Jack and Mr Lucca were friends with.
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Here's a list of people that both
Jack and Mr Lucca were friends with.
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Out of the many friend requests
that I sent out,
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only a handful actually responded.
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One of those happened to be the user
that is named Crow.
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After about a half hour
of going back and forth,
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After about a half hour
they revealed that they had dated.
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they revealed that they had dated.
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For me,
they revealed that they had dated.
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For me,
that definitely set alarm bells off.
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What are the odds of, you know,
one of the first people
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that kind of replies to my random
friend request the day of
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happens to be someone
that dated Jack?
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It seemed astronomical
that that was actually happening.
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But her story checked out.
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In a series of contacts with Crow
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The Post reporters
In a series of contacts with Crow
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The Post reporters
began to find out more about her
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and her relationship
with Jack Teixeira.
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and her relationship
SHANE HARRIS: They met online.
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SHANE HARRIS: They met online.
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They were very close
SHANE HARRIS: They met online.
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They were very close
during the pandemic.
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I get the feeling that, when
she's telling this story about Jack,
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I get the feeling that, when
she's speaking as somebody
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she's speaking as somebody
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who also went down
she's speaking as somebody
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who also went down
some very deep rabbit holes
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who also went down
and went to some very dark places.
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and went to some very dark places.
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She became a neo-Nazi
because of people she met online.
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She became a neo-Nazi
because of people she met online.
She wants to tell her story
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She wants to tell her story
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as somebody saying, "Look,
I made bad choices in my life."
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as somebody saying, "Look,
She agreed to go on camera
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She agreed to go on camera
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if we used her online name
and her whole face wasn't shown.
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She said she no longer has anything
to do with the neo-Nazi movement.
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No, I don't believe any of that
anymore.
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No, I don't believe any of that
I realised as time went on
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I realised as time went on
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that those views
I realised as time went on
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that those views
were just inherently false.
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that those views
But before then I realised
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But before then I realised
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that it was potentially
going to get me killed
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that it was potentially
to stay in those communities.
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to stay in those communities.
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Is that fear the reason
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that you don't want to be identified
in this interview?
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that you don't want to be identified
Partially, yeah.
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Partially, yeah.
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I don't think anyone
would seek me out to hurt me,
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but it's better to be safe
than sorry.
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Crow says
she met Jack Teixeira online.
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What were some of his just general
political views of the day?
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What were some of his just general
He was patriotic. He liked America.
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He was patriotic. He liked America.
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Um...
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I guess...
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..best way
I could possibly describe him
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..best way
would be kind of like a libertarian.
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would be kind of like a libertarian.
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He had strong opinions
would be kind of like a libertarian.
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He had strong opinions
about everything.
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He had strong opinions
He was not a neo-Nazi,
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He was not a neo-Nazi,
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but definitely conservative.
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Really supported, like, gun rights,
First Amendment rights.
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So, it was definitely a plus to me
that he was fine with my beliefs.
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He texted me
this big, long, emotional thing,
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He texted me
uh...asking me to date him,
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uh...asking me to date him,
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telling me that I was, like,
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the last part of this dystopian
telling me that I was, like,
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the last part of this dystopian
world that he liked.
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the last part of this dystopian
Um...
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Um...
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He knew everything about my life.
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Crow says they never met in person,
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but they had an online relationship
Crow says they never met in person,
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but they had an online relationship
for about a year.
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I think in front of his friends
he kind of put on this front of,
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I think in front of his friends
"Oh, I don't really care."
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"Oh, I don't really care."
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Way more typically masculine
"Oh, I don't really care."
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Way more typically masculine
and conservative.
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I think he wanted them to
think of him pretty, like, highly.
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But when you're one-on-one with him,
he was...
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..much more
of a genuinely, like, sweet person.
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Jack Teixeira's family
would not speak on the record,
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but The Post reporters
were able to piece together
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an outline of his childhood.
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Teixeira grew up in Dighton,
Massachusetts,
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Teixeira grew up in Dighton,
a tranquil corner of the state.
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a tranquil corner of the state.
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(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
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SHANE HARRIS: You see family photos
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
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SHANE HARRIS: You see family photos
of him when he's little.
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He looks just like
a typical, ordinary little kid.
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Seems to come from a big family.
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Here he is playing a game online.
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He looks about six years old
in this picture.
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He was obsessed as a young kid
with military weaponry and hardware
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He was obsessed as a young kid
and World War II aeroplanes.
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and World War II aeroplanes.
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He was a bright kid,
and World War II aeroplanes.
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He was a bright kid,
by all accounts.
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In middle school
he made the honour roll.
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We understand he's reasonably close
to his parents.
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He lives at the home
of his mother and stepfather,
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He lives at the home
but he's also close with his dad.
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but he's also close with his dad.
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We know that in middle school
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he started playing Call Of Duty
We know that in middle school
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he started playing Call Of Duty
and Grand Theft Auto
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he started playing Call Of Duty
with friends online.
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with friends online.
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He gets to high school
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and it seems like maybe
this is a period
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00:10:09,940 --> 00:10:13,140
where there's significant change
in his life
244
00:10:13,140 --> 00:10:13,380
where there's significant change
and starts to have problems.
245
00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:16,860
and starts to have problems.
246
00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:17,100
It was a time
and starts to have problems.
247
00:10:17,100 --> 00:10:19,060
It was a time
he would still talk about
248
00:10:19,060 --> 00:10:22,580
when he began dating Crow
after high school.
249
00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:22,820
when he began dating Crow
There were many late-night calls
250
00:10:22,820 --> 00:10:24,860
There were many late-night calls
251
00:10:24,860 --> 00:10:29,140
where he would rant to me
about school,
252
00:10:29,140 --> 00:10:30,900
how much he hated his teacher,
253
00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:34,140
how much he hated some people
and he hated the principal,
254
00:10:34,140 --> 00:10:37,180
and how he wishes
he could have shot up the school.
255
00:10:37,180 --> 00:10:37,420
and how he wishes
Um... How he should have done it.
256
00:10:37,420 --> 00:10:40,500
Um... How he should have done it.
257
00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:41,820
Just stuff like that.
258
00:10:46,020 --> 00:10:49,500
His sophomore year,
there is an incident at the school
259
00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:54,060
where there are two students
who say that Jack tells them
260
00:10:54,060 --> 00:10:56,580
he has a molotov cocktail
in his backpack,
261
00:10:56,580 --> 00:11:01,140
and what would they do
if he threw one down the hallway?
262
00:11:01,140 --> 00:11:01,380
and what would they do
The kids are alarmed.
263
00:11:01,380 --> 00:11:02,380
The kids are alarmed.
264
00:11:02,380 --> 00:11:03,620
They go to officials,
265
00:11:03,620 --> 00:11:03,860
and ultimately the Dighton Police
They go to officials,
266
00:11:03,860 --> 00:11:07,820
and ultimately the Dighton Police
Department investigates this.
267
00:11:08,780 --> 00:11:11,460
Frontline and The Washington Post
obtained the report
268
00:11:11,460 --> 00:11:15,380
of the subsequent
police investigation.
269
00:11:15,380 --> 00:11:18,820
There are witness statements
that a number of the students give
270
00:11:18,820 --> 00:11:19,060
There are witness statements
that document all of these things
271
00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:20,860
that document all of these things
272
00:11:20,860 --> 00:11:23,740
that they say
that they've heard Jack say,
273
00:11:23,740 --> 00:11:27,740
including the threats that he's made
about killing Black people.
274
00:11:32,340 --> 00:11:35,060
The police meet with Jack
275
00:11:35,060 --> 00:11:39,580
and he tries to say, "I was just
talking about a video game."
276
00:11:39,580 --> 00:11:42,820
Ultimately, Jack is suspended
from school for one day
277
00:11:42,820 --> 00:11:45,340
and required to take
a psychological risk assessment
278
00:11:45,340 --> 00:11:45,580
and required to take
before returning to class.
279
00:11:45,580 --> 00:11:48,020
before returning to class.
280
00:11:48,980 --> 00:11:51,660
AD VOICEOVER: We wanted to build
a place where you could game, talk
281
00:11:51,660 --> 00:11:51,900
AD VOICEOVER: We wanted to build
and ultimately belong,
282
00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:53,780
and ultimately belong,
283
00:11:53,780 --> 00:11:55,340
so, we built Discord,
284
00:11:55,340 --> 00:11:56,900
and you loved it!
285
00:11:56,900 --> 00:11:57,140
By the time Teixeira
and you loved it!
286
00:11:57,140 --> 00:11:59,780
By the time Teixeira
got into trouble in high school,
287
00:11:59,780 --> 00:12:04,380
the chat platform Discord was surging
in popularity with gamers.
288
00:12:04,380 --> 00:12:04,620
the chat platform Discord was surging
You made Discord into a home,
289
00:12:04,620 --> 00:12:05,940
You made Discord into a home,
290
00:12:05,940 --> 00:12:08,420
a place for you and your friends
to hang out in.
291
00:12:08,420 --> 00:12:11,460
Discord was started in 2015
292
00:12:11,460 --> 00:12:15,980
by game developers Jason Citron
and Stanislav Vishnevskiy.
293
00:12:15,980 --> 00:12:17,260
It quickly evolved
294
00:12:17,260 --> 00:12:17,500
and became a place for users to
It quickly evolved
295
00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:22,140
and became a place for users to
create communities known as servers,
296
00:12:22,140 --> 00:12:25,180
with no advertising
and little oversight,
297
00:12:25,180 --> 00:12:29,740
relying largely on users
to moderate problematic content.
298
00:12:29,740 --> 00:12:31,420
RECORDING:
It's going to happen at UVA
299
00:12:31,420 --> 00:12:33,420
in front of the Jefferson statue.
300
00:12:33,420 --> 00:12:37,260
We're going to march to the monument
with the torches.
301
00:12:37,260 --> 00:12:37,500
We're going to march to the monument
with the torches.
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
302
00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:39,420
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
303
00:12:39,420 --> 00:12:42,140
As the company grew,
it came under fire
304
00:12:42,140 --> 00:12:43,420
when white supremacists
305
00:12:43,420 --> 00:12:46,500
began recruiting and organising
on its servers,
306
00:12:46,500 --> 00:12:49,340
most infamously
for the Unite the Right rally
307
00:12:49,340 --> 00:12:49,580
most infamously
in Charlottesville, Virginia.
308
00:12:49,580 --> 00:12:51,500
in Charlottesville, Virginia.
309
00:12:53,780 --> 00:12:57,820
John Redgrave is Discord's
Head of Trust and Safety.
310
00:12:57,820 --> 00:12:58,060
John Redgrave is Discord's
After the Charlottesville riots
311
00:12:58,060 --> 00:12:59,460
After the Charlottesville riots
312
00:12:59,460 --> 00:12:59,700
and the Unite the Right rally
After the Charlottesville riots
313
00:12:59,700 --> 00:13:02,540
and the Unite the Right rally
in 2017,
314
00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:06,380
it was found that there were people
who were organising on Discord.
315
00:13:06,380 --> 00:13:06,620
it was found that there were people
Look, the Unite the Right rally
316
00:13:06,620 --> 00:13:08,180
Look, the Unite the Right rally
317
00:13:08,180 --> 00:13:11,300
was a really challenging moment
for Discord,
318
00:13:11,300 --> 00:13:13,180
I was not part of the company
at that time,
319
00:13:13,180 --> 00:13:17,180
but it was the impetus for Discord
to build a trust and safety team.
320
00:13:17,180 --> 00:13:22,220
We have 150 million people
using Discord every month, right?
321
00:13:22,220 --> 00:13:25,060
That's billions of interactions,
right?
322
00:13:25,060 --> 00:13:28,860
So, the scale of this challenge
is immense.
323
00:13:30,580 --> 00:13:34,420
The company has defended itself
in the wake of the intelligence leaks
324
00:13:34,420 --> 00:13:37,420
and the ongoing problems
with extremism,
325
00:13:37,420 --> 00:13:40,060
saying they represent
isolated bad actors
326
00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:44,020
on a platform
designed for privacy and community.
327
00:13:44,020 --> 00:13:44,300
We have taken the stance
that a lot of these spaces
on a platform
designed for privacy and community.
328
00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:48,260
We have taken the stance
that a lot of these spaces
329
00:13:48,260 --> 00:13:48,500
We have taken the stance
are like text messaging
330
00:13:48,500 --> 00:13:50,540
are like text messaging
331
00:13:50,540 --> 00:13:50,740
are like text messaging
your friends and your loved ones,
332
00:13:50,740 --> 00:13:52,620
your friends and your loved ones,
333
00:13:52,620 --> 00:13:57,580
and it's inappropriate
for us to violate people's privacy,
334
00:13:57,580 --> 00:14:00,100
and we don't have the level
of precision to do so
335
00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:01,700
when it comes to detection.
336
00:14:04,220 --> 00:14:09,300
Sam Oakford tracked down one of
Jack Teixeira's friends from Discord.
337
00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:14,300
He wanted to be identified
by his online name, Pucki.
338
00:14:14,300 --> 00:14:18,580
SAMUEL OAKFORD: Pucki is someone
that I heard about very early on.
339
00:14:18,580 --> 00:14:20,820
It took us a long time,
many, many months,
340
00:14:20,820 --> 00:14:23,580
to track him down
and identify him by name
341
00:14:23,580 --> 00:14:27,420
and then get in touch and
then convince him to meet with us.
342
00:14:27,420 --> 00:14:27,660
and then get in touch and
then convince him to meet with us.
Pucki is now 19.
343
00:14:27,660 --> 00:14:30,060
Pucki is now 19.
344
00:14:30,060 --> 00:14:30,300
This is the first time
Pucki is now 19.
345
00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:33,100
This is the first time
he's spoken on camera.
346
00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:33,340
This is the first time
Alright. And we are rolling.
347
00:14:33,340 --> 00:14:35,580
Alright. And we are rolling.
348
00:14:35,580 --> 00:14:37,780
Do not disturb. There we go.
349
00:14:37,780 --> 00:14:43,260
Let's start when you first
encountered Discord as a platform.
350
00:14:45,780 --> 00:14:47,620
I think it was in 7th Grade.
351
00:14:47,620 --> 00:14:50,100
I was still using Skype
at that point,
352
00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:52,340
and my really good friend
at the time
353
00:14:52,340 --> 00:14:56,620
were like, "We should ditch Skype
because everybody's on Discord."
354
00:14:56,620 --> 00:15:02,020
I formed a habit of being there
a lot, texting, but also speaking.
355
00:15:02,020 --> 00:15:06,060
And then June 2020,
that's when I joined Oxide.
356
00:15:10,540 --> 00:15:12,740
Oxide is a YouTube channel
357
00:15:12,740 --> 00:15:17,060
featuring Russian guns, body armour
and military hardware.
358
00:15:17,060 --> 00:15:17,300
featuring Russian guns, body armour
(GUNFIRE)
359
00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:20,700
(GUNFIRE)
360
00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:20,940
Viewers who like the content
(GUNFIRE)
361
00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:24,340
Viewers who like the content
can then join a server on Discord -
362
00:15:24,340 --> 00:15:24,580
Viewers who like the content
Oxide Hub,
363
00:15:24,580 --> 00:15:26,100
Oxide Hub,
364
00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,300
which in 2020
had thousands of members,
365
00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:29,540
which in 2020
including Jack Teixeira.
366
00:15:29,540 --> 00:15:31,580
including Jack Teixeira.
367
00:15:31,580 --> 00:15:33,180
We were stuck inside that summer,
368
00:15:33,180 --> 00:15:35,100
so, we were just all online
playing games,
369
00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:37,980
so, I searched
for other places to be
370
00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:40,180
and then that's
what brought me to Oxide.
371
00:15:40,180 --> 00:15:43,420
And Jack was there
and we hit it off.
372
00:15:43,420 --> 00:15:43,660
And Jack was there
Personally, I remember him being...
373
00:15:43,660 --> 00:15:46,700
Personally, I remember him being...
374
00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:48,380
..he was...he was a cool guy.
375
00:15:49,860 --> 00:15:53,020
It was during the early days
of the COVID pandemic
376
00:15:53,020 --> 00:15:56,980
that Jack Teixeira's friend group
was coalescing on Discord.
377
00:15:56,980 --> 00:16:02,620
Charles says he was around 13
when he met Teixeira on Oxide Hub.
378
00:16:02,620 --> 00:16:05,820
He and one of his parents
agreed he could be interviewed
379
00:16:05,820 --> 00:16:10,900
on the condition his identity be
concealed and we use his middle name.
380
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:11,140
on the condition his identity be
CHARLES: I moved to a new school
381
00:16:11,140 --> 00:16:12,540
CHARLES: I moved to a new school
382
00:16:12,540 --> 00:16:15,580
and they just shut down immediately
due to COVID restrictions.
383
00:16:15,580 --> 00:16:16,860
Just hold that that for a second.
384
00:16:16,860 --> 00:16:18,340
Actually, you can put that
in your pocket.
385
00:16:18,340 --> 00:16:20,340
I had no friends
and was locked at home.
386
00:16:21,860 --> 00:16:25,140
And because I was locked at home,
that led me to Discord.
387
00:16:25,140 --> 00:16:28,180
And Discord is where I eventually
met Jack Teixeira.
388
00:16:28,180 --> 00:16:31,020
And after some time, you know,
you play so many games with someone,
389
00:16:31,020 --> 00:16:33,140
you have so many good moments
with those people
390
00:16:33,140 --> 00:16:34,620
that you kind of form a bond
with them.
391
00:16:34,620 --> 00:16:37,460
PUCKI:
We took joy in being offensive.
392
00:16:37,460 --> 00:16:37,700
PUCKI:
It was something that made...
393
00:16:37,700 --> 00:16:40,100
It was something that made...
394
00:16:41,860 --> 00:16:44,140
..us tighter as friends,
395
00:16:44,140 --> 00:16:46,340
like us against the world.
396
00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:48,820
We would talk about
how much we hated a race,
397
00:16:48,820 --> 00:16:54,420
whether that be Jews or...or Blacks,
Hispanics or Canadians.
398
00:16:54,420 --> 00:16:55,420
It could be anything.
399
00:16:55,420 --> 00:16:57,260
You'd be like,
"Dude, screw those people,"
400
00:16:57,260 --> 00:16:57,500
You'd be like,
and people would be like, "Yeah!"
401
00:16:57,500 --> 00:16:59,100
and people would be like, "Yeah!"
402
00:17:00,060 --> 00:17:02,500
Whether it was serious or not,
we didn't care.
403
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:02,740
Whether it was serious or not,
It was funny.
404
00:17:02,740 --> 00:17:04,140
It was funny.
405
00:17:04,140 --> 00:17:09,980
And that, during such a time where
we were so far removed from society,
406
00:17:09,980 --> 00:17:10,220
And that, during such a time where
because of COVID
407
00:17:10,220 --> 00:17:10,980
because of COVID
408
00:17:10,980 --> 00:17:11,220
it was so easy to fall into
because of COVID
409
00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:14,740
it was so easy to fall into
that hole of just hating everything.
410
00:17:14,740 --> 00:17:16,780
CHARLES: A lot of older people
don't understand
411
00:17:16,780 --> 00:17:19,300
how gross
younger people's humour can be,
412
00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:21,300
and they don't understand
just how disturbing
413
00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:25,300
younger people's perceptions of what
can be joked and not joked about is.
414
00:17:25,300 --> 00:17:28,300
Like many large
public Discord servers,
415
00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:34,060
Oxide Hub had its own moderators
responsible for policing content.
416
00:17:34,060 --> 00:17:35,340
PUCKI: At some point
417
00:17:35,340 --> 00:17:37,140
Oxide's moderation team,
418
00:17:37,140 --> 00:17:41,660
they want to crack down
on offensive content,
419
00:17:41,660 --> 00:17:47,100
offensive for this being
racially motivated images, memes.
420
00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:51,420
Because it was a public server,
they didn't want anything too edgy,
421
00:17:51,420 --> 00:17:55,140
so, they started cracking down
on this content.
422
00:17:55,140 --> 00:18:00,940
CROW: And then Pucki,
he made a smaller server
423
00:18:00,940 --> 00:18:01,180
CROW: And then Pucki,
and invited a bunch of people
424
00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:02,540
and invited a bunch of people
425
00:18:02,540 --> 00:18:02,780
who used to be active
and invited a bunch of people
426
00:18:02,780 --> 00:18:05,860
who used to be active
in the voice chats.
427
00:18:05,860 --> 00:18:06,100
who used to be active
And then this is where you could say
428
00:18:06,100 --> 00:18:08,460
And then this is where you could say
429
00:18:08,460 --> 00:18:12,980
the core members
became solidified with each other.
430
00:18:12,980 --> 00:18:15,660
99% of my time was in there.
431
00:18:15,660 --> 00:18:15,900
What was the role that Jack played
99% of my time was in there.
432
00:18:15,900 --> 00:18:18,740
What was the role that Jack played
in the group? I mean...
433
00:18:18,740 --> 00:18:21,540
He was pretty well-liked
by everyone.
434
00:18:21,540 --> 00:18:26,100
He was someone that if you saw
them, like, join the VC
435
00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:28,020
and they were just sitting
in there alone,
436
00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:30,540
it would fill up really quickly
with other people
437
00:18:30,540 --> 00:18:32,340
just wanting to talk to him.
438
00:18:32,340 --> 00:18:34,540
CHARLES: He was an awesome guy
to hang out around.
439
00:18:34,540 --> 00:18:36,340
Like, anytime he entered the room,
440
00:18:36,340 --> 00:18:38,540
like, the mood changed,
like, stuff's going down,
441
00:18:38,540 --> 00:18:40,420
this is going to be fun,
we're gonna have a good night.
442
00:18:40,420 --> 00:18:40,660
this is going to be fun,
(CROWD CHANTS)
443
00:18:40,660 --> 00:18:44,500
(CROWD CHANTS)
444
00:18:44,500 --> 00:18:46,220
After the George Floyd protests
445
00:18:46,220 --> 00:18:48,700
dominated the news
in the summer of 2020...
446
00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:48,940
dominated the news
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
447
00:18:48,940 --> 00:18:49,980
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
448
00:18:49,980 --> 00:18:54,900
..the content on Pucki's server
became even more racist and violent.
449
00:18:54,900 --> 00:18:58,340
Like, in the calls, people
would be in their military gear
450
00:18:58,340 --> 00:18:58,620
yelling a lot about Black people,
about police.
Like, in the calls, people
would be in their military gear
451
00:18:58,620 --> 00:19:03,180
yelling a lot about Black people,
about police.
452
00:19:03,180 --> 00:19:07,420
There was some of, like, "Just keep
burning stuff down," you know?
453
00:19:07,420 --> 00:19:07,700
There was some of, like, "Just keep
burning stuff down," you know?
There was one day
where people joined the call
454
00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:10,020
There was one day
where people joined the call
455
00:19:10,020 --> 00:19:10,260
There was one day
and just started doing push-ups
456
00:19:10,260 --> 00:19:11,620
and just started doing push-ups
457
00:19:11,620 --> 00:19:13,660
to prepare for, like... (LAUGHS)
458
00:19:13,660 --> 00:19:16,060
..the end times.
459
00:19:16,060 --> 00:19:17,620
Adjust kippah.
460
00:19:17,620 --> 00:19:20,500
(LAUGHTER)
461
00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:23,620
This is a screen recording
of the group gaming together.
462
00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:25,900
Maybe I should go
the country club route.
463
00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:26,660
(LAUGHTER)
464
00:19:26,660 --> 00:19:30,980
Jack Teixeira used his online name,
The Excalibur Effect.
465
00:19:30,980 --> 00:19:32,860
(GUNSHOT)
Unlucky.
466
00:19:32,860 --> 00:19:33,100
(GUNSHOT)
(LAUGHTER)
467
00:19:33,100 --> 00:19:36,020
(LAUGHTER)
468
00:19:36,020 --> 00:19:38,460
Oh, Mr Zombie's shot!
469
00:19:40,860 --> 00:19:42,580
Gore was posted.
470
00:19:42,580 --> 00:19:45,420
You'd post videos of jihadi...
471
00:19:45,420 --> 00:19:45,660
..you know, beheadings
You'd post videos of jihadi...
472
00:19:45,660 --> 00:19:47,540
..you know, beheadings
and things like that
473
00:19:47,540 --> 00:19:47,780
..you know, beheadings
or cartel killings.
474
00:19:47,780 --> 00:19:49,460
or cartel killings.
475
00:19:49,460 --> 00:19:53,300
You'd be like, "Dude, look at this
guy getting his head chopped off."
476
00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:53,540
You'd be like, "Dude, look at this
It was... It was cool.
477
00:19:53,540 --> 00:19:55,780
It was... It was cool.
478
00:19:55,780 --> 00:19:57,380
What do you think about this now?
479
00:19:57,380 --> 00:20:02,020
We're talking about it...
I'm definitely not proud of...
480
00:20:02,020 --> 00:20:02,260
We're talking about it...
..of it at all.
481
00:20:02,260 --> 00:20:03,420
..of it at all.
482
00:20:03,420 --> 00:20:05,500
It's embarrassing.
483
00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:06,860
And it's...
484
00:20:06,860 --> 00:20:08,620
..quite frankly, humiliating
485
00:20:08,620 --> 00:20:10,100
to speak about it now,
486
00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:12,060
but I'm willing to.
487
00:20:13,900 --> 00:20:18,180
Do you think that the community Jack
was in on Discord nudged him closer
488
00:20:18,180 --> 00:20:21,140
to making this bad decision
that he ultimately made?
489
00:20:21,140 --> 00:20:22,700
CROW: Yeah, I think so, yeah.
490
00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:26,220
I think it was just the whole, like,
491
00:20:26,220 --> 00:20:29,380
psychology of being
in an online community like that.
492
00:20:31,100 --> 00:20:34,260
I mean, there's, like, a term -
'chronically online'...
493
00:20:35,580 --> 00:20:37,500
..where you lose touch
494
00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:41,540
of how interacting with people
in real life is.
495
00:20:42,660 --> 00:20:46,980
And, like, real consequences
and real issues in the world -
496
00:20:46,980 --> 00:20:47,220
And, like, real consequences
those just go away.
497
00:20:47,220 --> 00:20:48,940
those just go away.
498
00:20:52,660 --> 00:20:54,140
In the summer of 2020
499
00:20:54,140 --> 00:20:56,220
Jack graduates high school.
500
00:20:56,220 --> 00:20:59,660
That's, of course,
the first year of the pandemic.
501
00:21:00,620 --> 00:21:02,980
He actually skips
high-school graduation
502
00:21:02,980 --> 00:21:06,820
because he's off to basic training
at Lackland Air Force Base.
503
00:21:06,820 --> 00:21:11,500
He goes on to start
taking the coursework that he needs
504
00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:15,260
to become a cyber transport
specialist.
505
00:21:15,260 --> 00:21:18,020
It was a low-level IT job,
506
00:21:18,020 --> 00:21:23,140
but it required a security clearance
and a background check.
507
00:21:23,140 --> 00:21:26,300
He was a little bit worried they
were going to, in their interview,
508
00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:28,740
bring up, "Hey, we found
this Discord account,"
509
00:21:28,740 --> 00:21:30,060
or "We found this Discord server."
510
00:21:30,060 --> 00:21:34,580
At that time
he did become less active in Discord
511
00:21:34,580 --> 00:21:36,020
and he was very worried about
512
00:21:36,020 --> 00:21:39,060
keeping the things he was doing
private and safe.
513
00:21:39,060 --> 00:21:39,300
What was he specifically worried
keeping the things he was doing
private and safe.
514
00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:40,580
What was he specifically worried
515
00:21:40,580 --> 00:21:42,740
that the background investigation
might turn up
516
00:21:42,740 --> 00:21:42,980
that the background investigation
with regards to Discord?
517
00:21:42,980 --> 00:21:44,380
with regards to Discord?
518
00:21:44,380 --> 00:21:44,580
with regards to Discord?
Um...
519
00:21:44,580 --> 00:21:45,620
Um...
520
00:21:45,620 --> 00:21:49,540
There was a lot of, like,
racist talk on that server.
521
00:21:50,500 --> 00:21:54,460
There was a lot of talk
of killing ATF agents,
522
00:21:54,460 --> 00:21:54,740
There was a lot of talk
of killing ATF agents,
government officials,
523
00:21:54,740 --> 00:21:56,700
killing different
government officials,
524
00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:56,940
killing different
committing acts of terrorism,
525
00:21:56,940 --> 00:21:58,740
committing acts of terrorism,
526
00:21:58,740 --> 00:22:01,260
things that are probably not great
527
00:22:01,260 --> 00:22:04,020
for someone in the military
to be saying.
528
00:22:04,020 --> 00:22:06,340
So, I think that's probably
what he was worried about.
529
00:22:09,780 --> 00:22:12,380
But Teixeira was investigated
530
00:22:12,380 --> 00:22:15,100
and ultimately approved
for security clearance
531
00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:17,060
by the Department of Defence.
532
00:22:17,060 --> 00:22:18,900
One big question we have right now
533
00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:22,740
is how did Jack Teixeira
get his security clearance?
534
00:22:23,700 --> 00:22:25,980
So, if we're looking
at Jack Teixeira
535
00:22:25,980 --> 00:22:27,940
and all the things
that he posted online,
536
00:22:27,940 --> 00:22:30,780
the racist, violent comments,
the memes, the imagery
537
00:22:30,780 --> 00:22:32,780
and the fact
that he ultimately is accused
538
00:22:32,780 --> 00:22:34,420
of leaking hundreds
of classified documents,
539
00:22:34,420 --> 00:22:34,660
of leaking hundreds
it's like, OK, well, wait a minute,
540
00:22:34,660 --> 00:22:36,900
it's like, OK, well, wait a minute,
541
00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:39,180
there should have been red flags
along the way.
542
00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:42,740
The Department of Defence
declined to give an interview
543
00:22:42,740 --> 00:22:46,340
or answer questions
about Jack Teixeira.
544
00:22:46,340 --> 00:22:46,580
or answer questions
A Pentagon review
545
00:22:46,580 --> 00:22:47,780
A Pentagon review
546
00:22:47,780 --> 00:22:51,260
found that there wasn't a single
point of failure in the leaks,
547
00:22:51,260 --> 00:22:54,900
but said improvements were needed
to the security clearance process
548
00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:58,340
and how classified information
is safeguarded.
549
00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:05,180
To receive his security clearance
550
00:23:05,180 --> 00:23:08,820
Teixeira would have had to fill out
a detailed questionnaire,
551
00:23:08,820 --> 00:23:09,060
Teixeira would have had to fill out
the SF 86.
552
00:23:09,060 --> 00:23:10,620
the SF 86.
553
00:23:11,580 --> 00:23:14,460
This is the current SF 86.
554
00:23:14,460 --> 00:23:16,900
136 pages long.
555
00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:21,100
This is literally mine from 2019.
556
00:23:21,100 --> 00:23:24,620
Mark Zaid is a lawyer who has
represented hundreds of people
557
00:23:24,620 --> 00:23:26,580
going through
the security clearance process.
558
00:23:26,580 --> 00:23:29,100
You know,
if that very simple question,
559
00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:31,660
"What social-media sites
are you on?"
560
00:23:31,660 --> 00:23:31,900
"What social-media sites
had been asked on the form,
561
00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:33,700
had been asked on the form,
562
00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:33,940
and one source from that social
had been asked on the form,
563
00:23:33,940 --> 00:23:37,940
and one source from that social
media site had been obtained...
564
00:23:37,940 --> 00:23:40,100
He might never
have gotten a security clearance.
565
00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:42,620
He might never have gotten
a security clearance.
566
00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:46,700
By October 2021
567
00:23:46,700 --> 00:23:49,420
Jack Teixeira
was working as an IT specialist
568
00:23:49,420 --> 00:23:53,460
with the 102nd Intelligence Wing
at the Otis Air National Guard Base
569
00:23:53,460 --> 00:23:54,700
in Massachusetts.
570
00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:59,700
To the extent that you understand
it, what is Jack Teixeira's job?
571
00:23:59,700 --> 00:23:59,940
For all practical purposes,
To the extent that you understand
it, what is Jack Teixeira's job?
572
00:23:59,940 --> 00:24:01,220
For all practical purposes,
573
00:24:01,220 --> 00:24:02,700
he's a technician.
574
00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:06,340
He fixes and repairs systems.
575
00:24:06,340 --> 00:24:06,580
He fixes and repairs systems.
Maybe computer systems,
hardware, software...
576
00:24:06,580 --> 00:24:10,060
Maybe computer systems,
hardware, software...
577
00:24:11,220 --> 00:24:13,980
..file servers, data storage,
578
00:24:13,980 --> 00:24:16,020
all of those parts and pieces
579
00:24:16,020 --> 00:24:19,660
that sit behind, in front of
or next to
580
00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:19,900
that sit behind, in front of
an intelligence analyst
581
00:24:19,900 --> 00:24:21,740
an intelligence analyst
582
00:24:21,740 --> 00:24:23,940
that they use as their tools.
583
00:24:24,780 --> 00:24:26,740
They're in there
working on the system.
584
00:24:26,740 --> 00:24:29,260
You can't help but see
classified information.
585
00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:30,620
Correct. Absolutely.
586
00:24:30,620 --> 00:24:32,820
And, so, you would think
587
00:24:32,820 --> 00:24:38,060
that a technician doesn't need
access to top-secret information,
588
00:24:38,060 --> 00:24:41,380
but they're going to see, touch
and feel
589
00:24:41,380 --> 00:24:43,420
top-secret information all the time.
590
00:24:43,420 --> 00:24:46,140
Teixeira was working in a SCIF,
591
00:24:46,140 --> 00:24:50,220
a secure facility where
personal electronics are banned.
592
00:24:50,220 --> 00:24:53,700
He would sometimes
work unsupervised at night,
593
00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:56,980
maintaining air-conditioning units
and answering phones.
594
00:24:56,980 --> 00:24:59,860
I mean, it must have been
intoxicating for him
595
00:24:59,860 --> 00:25:03,580
if he's working
in this highly sensitive facility,
596
00:25:03,580 --> 00:25:03,820
if he's working
safeguarding the nation's secrets.
597
00:25:03,820 --> 00:25:05,740
safeguarding the nation's secrets.
598
00:25:05,740 --> 00:25:05,980
And then he goes home
safeguarding the nation's secrets.
599
00:25:05,980 --> 00:25:08,500
And then he goes home
and hops onto Discord,
600
00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:12,620
and it's a racist, paranoid,
anti-Semitic free-for-all.
601
00:25:12,620 --> 00:25:15,340
It's like he's living
this double life.
602
00:25:16,580 --> 00:25:17,820
(GUNSHOT)
603
00:25:19,660 --> 00:25:22,340
Around this time
on Pucki's Discord server...
604
00:25:22,340 --> 00:25:22,580
Around this time
(GUNSHOTS)
605
00:25:22,580 --> 00:25:26,380
(GUNSHOTS)
606
00:25:26,380 --> 00:25:26,620
..Teixeira was posting videos
(GUNSHOTS)
607
00:25:26,620 --> 00:25:31,060
..Teixeira was posting videos
mimicking first-person shooters.
608
00:25:31,060 --> 00:25:35,180
One video threatened violence
against Jews and Black people.
609
00:25:37,540 --> 00:25:40,220
(GUNFIRE)
610
00:25:40,220 --> 00:25:40,420
(GUNFIRE)
I was there when it was posted.
611
00:25:40,420 --> 00:25:42,020
I was there when it was posted.
612
00:25:42,020 --> 00:25:43,500
I remember it being posted
613
00:25:43,500 --> 00:25:47,060
and I was like,
"What are you shooting?"
614
00:25:47,060 --> 00:25:49,620
Was that out of the ordinary
or was that something that...
615
00:25:49,620 --> 00:25:49,860
Was that out of the ordinary
That sort of rhetoric was common.
616
00:25:49,860 --> 00:25:52,860
That sort of rhetoric was common.
617
00:25:52,860 --> 00:25:54,260
Um...
618
00:25:55,820 --> 00:25:59,580
All pretence aside, right?
It was... It was... It was racist,
619
00:25:59,580 --> 00:25:59,820
All pretence aside, right?
but if you were in the know,
620
00:25:59,820 --> 00:26:01,780
but if you were in the know,
621
00:26:01,780 --> 00:26:04,660
it was funny and you were included.
622
00:26:04,660 --> 00:26:06,580
When you're talking about
your politics -
623
00:26:06,580 --> 00:26:08,820
where they sort of conspiratorial?
624
00:26:08,820 --> 00:26:12,140
Yes. You know, "Jews...
Jews rule the world."
625
00:26:12,140 --> 00:26:13,660
Vaccines...
This was huge in the pandemic.
626
00:26:13,660 --> 00:26:16,220
The vaccines,
like, "All these companies,
627
00:26:16,220 --> 00:26:19,940
"they've got Jewish CEOs,
we can't trust it," and...
628
00:26:19,940 --> 00:26:23,580
So, Jack is one of the people
talking about this?
629
00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:23,820
So, Jack is one of the people
Definitely.
630
00:26:23,820 --> 00:26:24,860
Definitely.
631
00:26:26,580 --> 00:26:29,980
Pucki says he now regrets
the anti-Semitism, hate speech
632
00:26:29,980 --> 00:26:30,220
Pucki says he now regrets
and conspiracy theories.
633
00:26:30,220 --> 00:26:31,980
and conspiracy theories.
634
00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:33,620
That was really big...
635
00:26:33,620 --> 00:26:33,860
At the end of 2021,
That was really big...
636
00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:37,020
At the end of 2021,
with COVID restrictions waning,
637
00:26:37,020 --> 00:26:40,740
he says he began
spending less time on Discord.
638
00:26:40,740 --> 00:26:45,860
Control of the server
was given over to Teixeira.
639
00:26:45,860 --> 00:26:50,300
The server name eventually changed
to Thug Shaker Central,
640
00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:53,980
a racist and homophobic reference
to gay pornography.
641
00:26:53,980 --> 00:26:57,940
I would hate to describe the server
as, like, a cult of personality,
642
00:26:57,940 --> 00:27:00,820
but it became very centred
around Jack's humour
643
00:27:00,820 --> 00:27:01,060
but it became very centred
and his point of view.
644
00:27:01,060 --> 00:27:02,300
and his point of view.
645
00:27:02,300 --> 00:27:02,540
Jack Teixeira was older
and his point of view.
646
00:27:02,540 --> 00:27:05,500
Jack Teixeira was older
than most of the group,
647
00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:05,740
Jack Teixeira was older
many of whom were young teenagers.
648
00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:08,340
many of whom were young teenagers.
649
00:27:08,340 --> 00:27:12,260
The more extremist he got
and the smaller his circle got,
650
00:27:12,260 --> 00:27:17,380
he felt it was his duty
to be this, you know, father figure,
651
00:27:17,380 --> 00:27:21,260
to be this man
that would tell them what's going on
652
00:27:21,260 --> 00:27:21,500
to be this man
and had all this information.
653
00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:23,740
and had all this information.
654
00:27:25,260 --> 00:27:28,740
By this time, Crow says
they'd broken off their relationship
655
00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:28,980
By this time, Crow says
and she had left the server.
656
00:27:28,980 --> 00:27:30,300
and she had left the server.
657
00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:33,340
SAMUEL OAKFORD: A really key element
658
00:27:33,340 --> 00:27:38,060
was the way that the server became
smaller and smaller over time.
659
00:27:38,060 --> 00:27:38,340
And it wasn't only
that there were fewer people in it,
was the way that the server became
smaller and smaller over time.
660
00:27:38,340 --> 00:27:41,020
And it wasn't only
that there were fewer people in it,
661
00:27:41,020 --> 00:27:42,700
but there were certain types
of people
662
00:27:42,700 --> 00:27:42,980
but there were certain types
of people
who made the toxicity levels
rise and rise.
663
00:27:42,980 --> 00:27:47,340
who made the toxicity levels
rise and rise.
664
00:27:47,340 --> 00:27:47,580
who made the toxicity levels
It was down to maybe, like, 20 guys.
665
00:27:47,580 --> 00:27:50,180
It was down to maybe, like, 20 guys.
666
00:27:50,180 --> 00:27:50,420
When you have a group
It was down to maybe, like, 20 guys.
667
00:27:50,420 --> 00:27:54,100
When you have a group
who share similar views,
668
00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:59,020
it will progressively
become edgier, darker, brutal,
669
00:27:59,020 --> 00:28:03,380
and it's easy to become
locked in that echo chamber.
670
00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:11,660
Discord says that it shut down
one of Jack Teixeira's user accounts
671
00:28:11,660 --> 00:28:11,900
Discord says that it shut down
for hateful content,
672
00:28:11,900 --> 00:28:13,140
for hateful content,
673
00:28:13,140 --> 00:28:15,380
but that he had two others,
674
00:28:15,380 --> 00:28:18,580
and the reason it took no action
against Thug Shaker Central
675
00:28:18,580 --> 00:28:20,580
was because nobody reported it.
676
00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,300
SHANE HARRIS:
In the case of Thug Shaker Central,
677
00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:24,540
SHANE HARRIS:
Jack Teixeira was a moderator.
678
00:28:24,540 --> 00:28:25,940
Jack Teixeira was a moderator.
679
00:28:25,940 --> 00:28:26,180
In the city analogy, it's Jack's
Jack Teixeira was a moderator.
680
00:28:26,180 --> 00:28:29,100
In the city analogy, it's Jack's
house is essentially that server.
681
00:28:29,100 --> 00:28:29,340
In the city analogy, it's Jack's
Yeah, he built his house.
682
00:28:29,340 --> 00:28:30,900
Yeah, he built his house.
683
00:28:30,900 --> 00:28:33,140
We found Thug Shaker Central
violated
684
00:28:33,140 --> 00:28:33,380
We found Thug Shaker Central
several other terms of services -
685
00:28:33,380 --> 00:28:35,420
several other terms of services -
686
00:28:35,420 --> 00:28:35,660
hate speech, images of gore,
several other terms of services -
687
00:28:35,660 --> 00:28:38,980
hate speech, images of gore,
threats of violence.
688
00:28:38,980 --> 00:28:42,420
These are all things that we've
documented in our reporting as well.
689
00:28:42,420 --> 00:28:42,660
These are all things that we've
Why were these particular kids
690
00:28:42,660 --> 00:28:44,100
Why were these particular kids
691
00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:44,340
allowed to continue sharing
Why were these particular kids
692
00:28:44,340 --> 00:28:46,620
allowed to continue sharing
this kind of material
693
00:28:46,620 --> 00:28:46,860
allowed to continue sharing
for more than a year?
694
00:28:46,860 --> 00:28:47,780
for more than a year?
695
00:28:47,780 --> 00:28:47,980
This comes down to...
for more than a year?
696
00:28:47,980 --> 00:28:50,220
This comes down to...
697
00:28:50,220 --> 00:28:53,060
..our ability to identify
698
00:28:53,060 --> 00:28:54,340
what's happening in these spaces.
699
00:28:54,340 --> 00:28:54,540
what's happening in these spaces.
We rely on user reports.
700
00:28:54,540 --> 00:28:56,140
We rely on user reports.
701
00:28:56,140 --> 00:29:00,220
We rely on third parties
to help us with intelligence.
702
00:29:00,220 --> 00:29:00,460
We rely on third parties
None of that happened here.
703
00:29:00,460 --> 00:29:02,300
None of that happened here.
704
00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:02,540
Well, none of it
None of that happened here.
705
00:29:02,540 --> 00:29:03,820
Well, none of it
was likely to happen
706
00:29:03,820 --> 00:29:06,020
because they were all part
of this community.
707
00:29:06,020 --> 00:29:06,260
I mean, if one of them objected
because they were all part
of this community.
708
00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:07,500
I mean, if one of them objected
709
00:29:07,500 --> 00:29:10,940
to racist and anti-Semitic comments
being made routinely,
710
00:29:10,940 --> 00:29:11,700
they might have flagged it,
711
00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:14,740
but they didn't
because they were all in on that.
712
00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:15,020
but they didn't
because they were all in on that.
So, what you're saying is that
the company has no way of monitoring
713
00:29:15,020 --> 00:29:18,940
So, what you're saying is that
the company has no way of monitoring
714
00:29:18,940 --> 00:29:21,740
for that kind of content on its own?
715
00:29:21,740 --> 00:29:27,100
We require that people
are helping to keep Discord safe.
716
00:29:27,100 --> 00:29:32,980
We do scan spaces, in particular
for child sex abuse material.
717
00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:33,220
We do scan spaces, in particular
Um...
718
00:29:33,220 --> 00:29:34,180
Um...
719
00:29:34,180 --> 00:29:35,900
That is unambiguously bad.
720
00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:39,340
But when it comes
to other classes of abuse,
721
00:29:39,340 --> 00:29:41,980
we all need
to collectively think about,
722
00:29:41,980 --> 00:29:44,300
"Are we just diving in
to someone's privacy?"
723
00:29:44,300 --> 00:29:45,940
So, in our city,
this is the difference
724
00:29:45,940 --> 00:29:50,180
between someone who has
a listening device in your apartment
725
00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:50,420
between someone who has
versus not, right?
726
00:29:50,420 --> 00:29:52,060
versus not, right?
727
00:29:52,060 --> 00:29:55,700
And it's...it's certainly our choice
728
00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:55,940
to not put that listening device in
And it's...it's certainly our choice
729
00:29:55,940 --> 00:30:00,380
to not put that listening device in
in those private spaces.
730
00:30:03,780 --> 00:30:05,300
In early 2022...
731
00:30:05,300 --> 00:30:05,540
REPORTER: The crisis between Ukraine
In early 2022...
732
00:30:05,540 --> 00:30:08,140
REPORTER: The crisis between Ukraine
and Russia is reaching...
733
00:30:08,140 --> 00:30:12,820
..Jack Teixeira started focusing
his Discord posts on world events.
734
00:30:14,140 --> 00:30:18,300
I'm not sure how to explain it. It
was just, "Hey, guys. New channel."
735
00:30:18,300 --> 00:30:20,540
At first
the channel was for the war.
736
00:30:20,540 --> 00:30:22,460
Then Jack was like,
737
00:30:22,460 --> 00:30:24,260
"Hey, I have this...
738
00:30:24,260 --> 00:30:27,260
"I have these numbers," and
we're like, "Sure, dude, post it."
739
00:30:27,260 --> 00:30:29,020
So, then he started posting them.
740
00:30:29,020 --> 00:30:30,900
(YELLS INDISTINCTLY)
741
00:30:30,900 --> 00:30:32,540
(BLASTING)
742
00:30:32,540 --> 00:30:35,180
As the war in Ukraine progressed,
743
00:30:35,180 --> 00:30:35,420
Pucki says Teixeira started sharing
As the war in Ukraine progressed,
744
00:30:35,420 --> 00:30:38,500
Pucki says Teixeira started sharing
classified information
745
00:30:38,500 --> 00:30:38,740
Pucki says Teixeira started sharing
on Thug Shaker Central.
746
00:30:38,740 --> 00:30:40,660
on Thug Shaker Central.
747
00:30:40,660 --> 00:30:44,220
It just sort of started
with, like, casualty numbers
748
00:30:44,220 --> 00:30:44,460
It just sort of started
and equipment losses
749
00:30:44,460 --> 00:30:45,820
and equipment losses
750
00:30:45,820 --> 00:30:46,060
from both sides
and equipment losses
751
00:30:46,060 --> 00:30:48,980
from both sides
in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
752
00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:49,220
from both sides
It was very basic, just text,
753
00:30:49,220 --> 00:30:51,220
It was very basic, just text,
754
00:30:51,220 --> 00:30:55,300
like, "These are the real numbers,
guys, from," like...wherever.
755
00:30:55,300 --> 00:30:58,300
I can't remember if he said it was
from the DOD or anything like that.
756
00:30:58,300 --> 00:30:59,580
I'm pretty sure he did.
757
00:30:59,580 --> 00:31:03,140
I likened it
to him wanting us to be prepared
758
00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:05,260
for whatever the world
was going to throw at us.
759
00:31:05,260 --> 00:31:05,500
for whatever the world
We spoke about the conspiracies
760
00:31:05,500 --> 00:31:07,180
We spoke about the conspiracies
761
00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:07,420
and how we distrusted
We spoke about the conspiracies
762
00:31:07,420 --> 00:31:09,380
and how we distrusted
the government.
763
00:31:09,380 --> 00:31:11,900
This was just another iteration
of that.
764
00:31:11,900 --> 00:31:13,780
We didn't trust the news
765
00:31:13,780 --> 00:31:16,260
and we were getting it
from the source.
766
00:31:17,180 --> 00:31:19,660
He was taking notes
from the documents at work,
767
00:31:19,660 --> 00:31:23,260
possibly using speech-to-text
on his phone to transcribe them.
768
00:31:23,260 --> 00:31:26,420
But he's now leaving work
and coming back
769
00:31:26,420 --> 00:31:31,540
with whole swathes of intelligence
from reports, much of it verbatim,
770
00:31:31,540 --> 00:31:34,060
and sharing them
with friends online.
771
00:31:36,460 --> 00:31:40,260
Discord chat transcripts
released by federal investigators
772
00:31:40,260 --> 00:31:40,500
Discord chat transcripts
show that Teixeira was, in fact,
773
00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:42,180
show that Teixeira was, in fact,
774
00:31:42,180 --> 00:31:44,460
already leaking
classified information
775
00:31:44,460 --> 00:31:44,700
already leaking
before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
776
00:31:44,700 --> 00:31:47,460
before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
777
00:31:48,420 --> 00:31:49,900
SAMUEL OAKFORD: Jack gives someone
778
00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:53,820
who lives
in an unnamed foreign city in Europe
779
00:31:53,820 --> 00:31:56,380
a heads up
that there will be people coming.
780
00:31:57,620 --> 00:31:59,100
He uses very vulgar language.
781
00:31:59,100 --> 00:32:03,700
He says there'll be a wave of
N-words from a city in Ukraine soon,
782
00:32:03,700 --> 00:32:07,580
an allusion to, you know,
the impending war.
783
00:32:07,580 --> 00:32:10,580
And he says, "I'll elaborate more
when I get home."
784
00:32:10,580 --> 00:32:13,140
So, this is significant
for multiple reasons.
785
00:32:13,140 --> 00:32:17,180
It's Jack appearing to give
a preview of the invasion of Ukraine
786
00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:17,420
It's Jack appearing to give
based on classified material.
787
00:32:17,420 --> 00:32:19,300
based on classified material.
788
00:32:19,300 --> 00:32:19,540
It's him talking
based on classified material.
789
00:32:19,540 --> 00:32:22,300
It's him talking
to a foreign national about this.
790
00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:22,540
It's him talking
The Post reporters found
791
00:32:22,540 --> 00:32:24,380
The Post reporters found
792
00:32:24,380 --> 00:32:26,180
that Teixeira's audience on Discord
793
00:32:26,180 --> 00:32:29,380
was wider
than just Thug Shaker Central
794
00:32:29,380 --> 00:32:31,900
and he was regularly
having exchanges like this
795
00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:32,140
and he was regularly
on a much larger public server
796
00:32:32,140 --> 00:32:34,140
on a much larger public server
797
00:32:34,140 --> 00:32:37,420
called Abinavski's Exclusion Zone.
798
00:32:37,420 --> 00:32:41,620
Sam Oakford spent weeks mapping
Teixeira's posts and contacts
799
00:32:41,620 --> 00:32:43,580
on the Abinavski server,
800
00:32:43,580 --> 00:32:46,580
a community
of military enthusiasts and gamers
801
00:32:46,580 --> 00:32:50,340
with more than 600 members
around the world.
802
00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:56,340
He found one of Abinavski's
moderators in Arizona.
803
00:33:00,020 --> 00:33:03,380
JEREMIAH: Jack first really appeared
around when the war started.
804
00:33:03,380 --> 00:33:05,140
So, February of 2022.
805
00:33:05,140 --> 00:33:09,380
He had joined the server before then
but never really talked.
806
00:33:10,340 --> 00:33:13,140
I found that out when I looked back
through his messages.
807
00:33:13,140 --> 00:33:15,380
It is a little odd
that he just all of a sudden
808
00:33:15,380 --> 00:33:18,660
started talking
right around the start of the war.
809
00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:22,140
Yeah? We're good?
810
00:33:22,140 --> 00:33:24,340
Jeremiah agreed to be interviewed
811
00:33:24,340 --> 00:33:27,780
on the condition
we use only his first name.
812
00:33:27,780 --> 00:33:28,020
on the condition
Cool.
813
00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:28,980
Cool.
814
00:33:28,980 --> 00:33:32,500
Yeah, so, Jack started posting more
over time?
815
00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:36,060
Yeah, he started making, like,
biweekly to weekly updates
816
00:33:36,060 --> 00:33:36,300
Yeah, he started making, like,
when the war was more active.
817
00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:37,500
when the war was more active.
818
00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:40,500
Almost daily in some cases, uh...
819
00:33:40,500 --> 00:33:45,420
..especially early on,
like, May and June of 2022.
820
00:33:45,420 --> 00:33:49,220
So, you were getting a real window
into what was going on in the world
821
00:33:49,220 --> 00:33:51,140
relating to the war?
Oh, absolutely.
822
00:33:51,140 --> 00:33:51,380
relating to the war?
It's one of those things where
823
00:33:51,380 --> 00:33:52,700
It's one of those things where
824
00:33:52,700 --> 00:33:54,980
it's, like,
you're getting direct access
825
00:33:54,980 --> 00:33:56,220
to firsthand information,
826
00:33:56,220 --> 00:33:57,940
which is extremely hard to get.
827
00:33:57,940 --> 00:33:59,380
Being able to see it immediately
828
00:33:59,380 --> 00:34:02,780
was just very fascinating
and a little bit exhilarating.
829
00:34:02,780 --> 00:34:07,340
Jeremiah says Teixeira
had an eager audience at Abinavski
830
00:34:07,340 --> 00:34:10,980
and that he even took requests
for classified information.
831
00:34:12,980 --> 00:34:14,460
He had said that, you know,
832
00:34:14,460 --> 00:34:16,940
"Oh, if you live in this country,
you can kind of ask.
833
00:34:16,940 --> 00:34:19,180
"If I have anything on it,
I'll tell you."
834
00:34:19,180 --> 00:34:20,940
So, you'd have people
from all over the place
835
00:34:20,940 --> 00:34:22,500
being like, "Hey, do you know
anything that was going on
836
00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:22,740
being like, "Hey, do you know
"about this event in my country?"
837
00:34:22,740 --> 00:34:23,900
"about this event in my country?"
838
00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:26,420
And if he had anything,
he'd kind of tell them.
839
00:34:26,420 --> 00:34:29,460
My thought the whole time was,
"Someone else will report him,"
840
00:34:29,460 --> 00:34:31,780
you know, "It'll... It'll happen
eventually. There's no way."
841
00:34:31,780 --> 00:34:32,020
you know, "It'll... It'll happen
And it just never did.
842
00:34:32,020 --> 00:34:32,940
And it just never did.
843
00:34:32,940 --> 00:34:36,340
He just kept...just he kept posting
and posting and posting.
844
00:34:36,340 --> 00:34:39,140
Did you consider reporting Jack
at any point?
845
00:34:39,140 --> 00:34:40,380
I did.
846
00:34:40,380 --> 00:34:44,060
I had times where I'm like,
"I probably should report him."
847
00:34:44,060 --> 00:34:44,300
I had times where I'm like,
You know, I was 18, I was stupid,
848
00:34:44,300 --> 00:34:45,740
You know, I was 18, I was stupid,
849
00:34:45,740 --> 00:34:45,980
and I was kind of just wanting
You know, I was 18, I was stupid,
850
00:34:45,980 --> 00:34:47,940
and I was kind of just wanting
to look at information.
851
00:34:47,940 --> 00:34:48,180
and I was kind of just wanting
Yeah.
852
00:34:48,180 --> 00:34:49,140
Yeah.
853
00:34:49,140 --> 00:34:51,380
A lot of people told him,
you know,
854
00:34:51,380 --> 00:34:53,620
"Hey, you do realise it's illegal,
right?"
855
00:34:55,580 --> 00:34:57,980
He was like,
"Yeah, I know, I don't care."
856
00:34:57,980 --> 00:34:58,220
He was like,
I thought he was an absolute idiot
857
00:34:58,220 --> 00:34:59,820
I thought he was an absolute idiot
858
00:34:59,820 --> 00:35:02,300
and was definitely
going to get arrested.
859
00:35:04,660 --> 00:35:07,620
Air Force memos show
that on more than one occasion
860
00:35:07,620 --> 00:35:07,860
Air Force memos show
he was caught in the act.
861
00:35:07,860 --> 00:35:09,380
he was caught in the act.
862
00:35:10,820 --> 00:35:12,660
SHANE HARRIS:
It says that Jack Teixeira
863
00:35:12,660 --> 00:35:12,900
SHANE HARRIS:
had been observed taking notes
864
00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:14,460
had been observed taking notes
865
00:35:14,460 --> 00:35:17,900
on classified intelligence
information in the SCIF.
866
00:35:17,900 --> 00:35:21,300
He was observed
putting a note in his pocket.
867
00:35:21,300 --> 00:35:21,540
He was observed
He was told to stop.
868
00:35:21,540 --> 00:35:23,780
He was told to stop.
869
00:35:23,780 --> 00:35:26,900
Then, a month later, another warning.
870
00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:30,380
But then they go on to offer him
essentially a promotion
871
00:35:30,380 --> 00:35:32,180
to become an analyst.
872
00:35:32,180 --> 00:35:36,140
And it says that he declined the
training opportunity at this time.
873
00:35:36,140 --> 00:35:36,380
And it says that he declined the
And then, three months later,
874
00:35:36,380 --> 00:35:38,420
And then, three months later,
875
00:35:38,420 --> 00:35:41,540
Teixeira was caught
viewing classified content
876
00:35:41,540 --> 00:35:43,220
without authorisation.
877
00:35:46,700 --> 00:35:49,740
The Air Force
declined to give an interview
878
00:35:49,740 --> 00:35:49,980
The Air Force
but published its own investigation,
879
00:35:49,980 --> 00:35:51,900
but published its own investigation,
880
00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:53,620
which pointed to systemic failures
881
00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:56,180
in the handling
of classified information
882
00:35:56,180 --> 00:35:59,580
and strongly criticised
the culture of complacency
883
00:35:59,580 --> 00:35:59,820
and strongly criticised
at Otis Air National Guard Base.
884
00:35:59,820 --> 00:36:01,860
at Otis Air National Guard Base.
885
00:36:03,020 --> 00:36:04,740
It found that several individuals
886
00:36:04,740 --> 00:36:07,620
knew about Teixeira's
breaches of protocol
887
00:36:07,620 --> 00:36:11,940
but intentionally
failed to report the full details,
888
00:36:11,940 --> 00:36:13,180
and that a lack of oversight
889
00:36:13,180 --> 00:36:17,700
made it possible to print classified
documents without detection.
890
00:36:18,820 --> 00:36:22,540
The commander of the 102nd
Intelligence Wing at Otis
891
00:36:22,540 --> 00:36:24,300
was relieved of his command.
892
00:36:24,300 --> 00:36:28,580
14 others were disciplined
for dereliction of duties.
893
00:36:33,060 --> 00:36:35,300
Documents from federal investigators
894
00:36:35,300 --> 00:36:38,060
show that by January 2023
895
00:36:38,060 --> 00:36:40,660
Teixeira was concerned
that he may be discovered
896
00:36:40,660 --> 00:36:44,620
transcribing classified information
at work.
897
00:36:44,620 --> 00:36:47,900
He decided to switch his approach.
898
00:36:47,900 --> 00:36:51,060
He removes documents from work,
takes them home
899
00:36:51,060 --> 00:36:54,580
and takes photographs of them
with his phone, and he uploads those
900
00:36:54,580 --> 00:36:58,460
and he uploads
more than 300 documents like that.
901
00:37:00,140 --> 00:37:03,060
February 28, 2023.
902
00:37:03,060 --> 00:37:06,820
That evening, a teenager at home
in Southern California
903
00:37:06,820 --> 00:37:12,220
logged into Discord and initiated
the fall of Jack Teixeira.
904
00:37:12,220 --> 00:37:14,660
He went by the name Lucca.
905
00:37:15,780 --> 00:37:18,460
He was naive, immature...
906
00:37:19,460 --> 00:37:22,620
..kind of the whole nine yards
of a kid.
907
00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:26,180
SAMUEL OAKFORD:
Lucca was one of the younger members
908
00:37:26,180 --> 00:37:26,420
SAMUEL OAKFORD:
of Thug Shaker Central.
909
00:37:26,420 --> 00:37:28,100
of Thug Shaker Central.
910
00:37:28,100 --> 00:37:29,820
He was someone who had a reputation
911
00:37:29,820 --> 00:37:32,380
for (BLEEP!)-posting,
what you might say,
912
00:37:32,380 --> 00:37:36,980
and he would post things
in a reckless way.
913
00:37:36,980 --> 00:37:41,620
So, it set off everything that
would happen over the next month.
914
00:37:42,820 --> 00:37:46,340
Lucca reposted images
of dozens of the classified documents
915
00:37:46,340 --> 00:37:46,580
Lucca reposted images
originally leaked to Thug Shaker.
916
00:37:46,580 --> 00:37:49,060
originally leaked to Thug Shaker.
917
00:37:49,060 --> 00:37:53,260
They were sourced from nearly
every US intelligence agency.
918
00:37:53,260 --> 00:37:56,380
Never-before-seen
Ukrainian battlefield assessments.
919
00:37:56,380 --> 00:37:59,980
Locations where the CIA
has recruited sources.
920
00:37:59,980 --> 00:38:04,140
The technology the US uses
to track Russian forces.
921
00:38:04,140 --> 00:38:07,540
He probably just thought they were,
like, a funny meme and posted them.
922
00:38:07,540 --> 00:38:09,140
Within days
923
00:38:09,140 --> 00:38:12,580
another user forwarded the posts
to another server.
924
00:38:12,580 --> 00:38:12,820
another user forwarded the posts
The leak was becoming a spill.
925
00:38:12,820 --> 00:38:15,500
The leak was becoming a spill.
926
00:38:15,500 --> 00:38:15,740
Jack Teixeira wrote to his friends
The leak was becoming a spill.
927
00:38:15,740 --> 00:38:19,500
Jack Teixeira wrote to his friends
on Abinavski.
928
00:38:20,580 --> 00:38:25,300
JEREMIAH: He messaged on March 19
about how he's done posting.
929
00:38:26,580 --> 00:38:30,500
And then the thread disappears,
so, he must have deleted it.
930
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:33,500
Then, in early April,
931
00:38:33,500 --> 00:38:37,820
the classified documents
were anonymously posted on 4chan,
932
00:38:37,820 --> 00:38:40,620
a site popular
with far-right extremists.
933
00:38:40,620 --> 00:38:45,780
Soon afterwards, they appeared
on a pro-Russian telegram channel.
934
00:38:45,780 --> 00:38:48,660
SHANE HARRIS: As these documents
are now popping up like mushrooms
935
00:38:48,660 --> 00:38:48,900
SHANE HARRIS: As these documents
all over the internet,
936
00:38:48,900 --> 00:38:50,140
all over the internet,
937
00:38:50,140 --> 00:38:50,380
Jack hears from one of his friends
all over the internet,
938
00:38:50,380 --> 00:38:54,940
Jack hears from one of his friends
in Abinavski's Exclusion Zone
939
00:38:54,940 --> 00:38:58,340
that he thinks he's seen some
of his 'thingies' on the internet,
940
00:38:58,340 --> 00:38:58,580
that he thinks he's seen some
meaning classified material.
941
00:38:58,580 --> 00:39:00,540
meaning classified material.
942
00:39:01,740 --> 00:39:05,020
So, this is when it kind of
hits the fan for Jack, right?
943
00:39:08,460 --> 00:39:10,660
On the evening of April 6
944
00:39:10,660 --> 00:39:13,580
the news broke
that the Pentagon and the FBI
945
00:39:13,580 --> 00:39:16,100
were trying to identify
the source of the leaks.
946
00:39:16,100 --> 00:39:19,380
REPORTER: Top-secret documents
about the war in Ukraine have...
947
00:39:19,380 --> 00:39:21,100
REPORTER: The Pentagon
is investigating the leak
948
00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:24,460
of classified documents
detailing US and NATO military...
949
00:39:24,460 --> 00:39:26,700
REPORTER: Classified Pentagon
documents are being discovered
950
00:39:26,700 --> 00:39:28,380
posted on social media.
951
00:39:28,380 --> 00:39:31,060
Teixeira took drastic action.
952
00:39:31,060 --> 00:39:34,020
SAMUEL OAKFORD:
Once this story was in the news,
953
00:39:34,020 --> 00:39:38,460
Jack attempted to delete
anything that he could control.
954
00:39:38,460 --> 00:39:38,700
Jack attempted to delete
Jack controlled Thug Shaker Central.
955
00:39:38,700 --> 00:39:40,740
Jack controlled Thug Shaker Central.
956
00:39:40,740 --> 00:39:43,820
He nuked it on April 7.
957
00:39:43,820 --> 00:39:44,060
The same day the FBI actually
He nuked it on April 7.
958
00:39:44,060 --> 00:39:48,340
The same day the FBI actually
contacts Discord for the first time.
959
00:39:49,420 --> 00:39:51,020
JOHN REDGRAVE: I get a phone call,
960
00:39:51,020 --> 00:39:53,060
I immediately
stand up a team of people.
961
00:39:53,060 --> 00:39:53,300
We started to take action
I immediately
stand up a team of people.
962
00:39:53,300 --> 00:39:54,500
We started to take action
963
00:39:54,500 --> 00:39:58,220
while also collaborating with
different law-enforcement agencies.
964
00:39:58,220 --> 00:39:58,500
while also collaborating with
different law-enforcement agencies.
Classified material had been leaking
on Discord for more than a year,
965
00:39:58,500 --> 00:40:02,420
Classified material had been leaking
on Discord for more than a year,
966
00:40:02,420 --> 00:40:05,900
but it had gone undetected
until now.
967
00:40:05,900 --> 00:40:09,540
No users at all
reported anything about this to us.
968
00:40:09,540 --> 00:40:09,780
No users at all
How many servers
969
00:40:09,780 --> 00:40:11,060
How many servers
970
00:40:11,060 --> 00:40:13,540
were found to have classified
documents moving through them,
971
00:40:13,540 --> 00:40:14,900
as you described it?
972
00:40:14,900 --> 00:40:15,140
I don't know the answer
as you described it?
973
00:40:15,140 --> 00:40:17,700
I don't know the answer
off the top of my head.
974
00:40:17,700 --> 00:40:17,940
I don't know the answer
Is it possible you all don't know
975
00:40:17,940 --> 00:40:19,220
Is it possible you all don't know
976
00:40:19,220 --> 00:40:22,140
how many servers
these documents popped up in?
977
00:40:22,140 --> 00:40:26,660
We can't say definitively
where classified documents go,
978
00:40:26,660 --> 00:40:28,900
and that's true
of every single tech company.
979
00:40:28,900 --> 00:40:29,140
and that's true
This is not a Discord problem.
980
00:40:29,140 --> 00:40:30,460
This is not a Discord problem.
981
00:40:30,460 --> 00:40:32,300
This is an internet problem.
982
00:40:32,300 --> 00:40:35,620
We have no capability to identify
983
00:40:35,620 --> 00:40:39,660
when a classified document
has potentially been leaked.
984
00:40:39,660 --> 00:40:42,660
So, the moment Teixeira
deleted Thug Shaker Central,
985
00:40:42,660 --> 00:40:45,900
it was...could not be recovered,
anything in it?
986
00:40:45,900 --> 00:40:46,660
Could not be recovered.
987
00:40:46,660 --> 00:40:49,140
So, that means that it's gone
and you can't recover that
988
00:40:49,140 --> 00:40:51,660
under any circumstances?
989
00:40:51,660 --> 00:40:53,100
There is no way for us
990
00:40:53,100 --> 00:40:53,340
to recover information
There is no way for us
991
00:40:53,340 --> 00:40:57,620
to recover information
that's deleted by a user on Discord.
992
00:40:58,540 --> 00:41:01,420
Teixeira could delete
the Thug Shaker Server,
993
00:41:01,420 --> 00:41:04,260
but he didn't have the same power
over Abinavski.
994
00:41:05,220 --> 00:41:07,580
He's running through various ways
995
00:41:07,580 --> 00:41:11,620
he can most efficiently clear up
what he did on Abinavski.
996
00:41:16,300 --> 00:41:17,860
JEREMIAH: He had asked me to go back
997
00:41:17,860 --> 00:41:20,700
and delete anything he might
have posted outside the thread
998
00:41:20,700 --> 00:41:20,940
and delete anything he might
in February of 2022.
999
00:41:20,940 --> 00:41:23,380
in February of 2022.
1000
00:41:23,380 --> 00:41:23,620
He'd also said, you know,
in February of 2022.
1001
00:41:23,620 --> 00:41:26,660
He'd also said, you know,
"Don't tell anyone," which I didn't,
1002
00:41:26,660 --> 00:41:29,220
but I immediately started
taking screenshots of things
1003
00:41:29,220 --> 00:41:31,900
and, like, just kind of
collecting information
1004
00:41:31,900 --> 00:41:32,140
and, like, just kind of
in case it was ever needed.
1005
00:41:32,140 --> 00:41:33,660
in case it was ever needed.
1006
00:41:33,660 --> 00:41:34,860
So, he's telling people,
1007
00:41:34,860 --> 00:41:37,340
"Delete anything
that has anything to do with me.
1008
00:41:37,340 --> 00:41:40,780
"If anyone comes talking to you,
don't tell them anything."
1009
00:41:40,780 --> 00:41:41,020
"If anyone comes talking to you,
In the days that followed
1010
00:41:41,020 --> 00:41:42,260
In the days that followed
1011
00:41:42,260 --> 00:41:42,500
investigators say Teixeira
In the days that followed
1012
00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:45,780
investigators say Teixeira
destroyed electronics equipment,
1013
00:41:45,780 --> 00:41:46,020
investigators say Teixeira
adopted a new email address
1014
00:41:46,020 --> 00:41:47,860
adopted a new email address
1015
00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:49,660
and got a new phone number.
1016
00:41:49,660 --> 00:41:51,820
You see him in these days
1017
00:41:51,820 --> 00:41:52,060
understanding
You see him in these days
1018
00:41:52,060 --> 00:41:54,780
understanding
that the walls are closing in.
1019
00:41:54,780 --> 00:41:55,020
understanding
He knows people are looking for him,
1020
00:41:55,020 --> 00:41:56,740
He knows people are looking for him,
1021
00:41:56,740 --> 00:41:59,220
and he's trying
to delete the evidence
1022
00:41:59,220 --> 00:41:59,460
and he's trying
that might lead to his door.
1023
00:41:59,460 --> 00:42:01,300
that might lead to his door.
1024
00:42:01,300 --> 00:42:01,540
Federal agents
that might lead to his door.
1025
00:42:01,540 --> 00:42:04,460
Federal agents
were getting closer to Teixeira.
1026
00:42:05,420 --> 00:42:09,740
And the word was getting out among
people who had known him online.
1027
00:42:09,740 --> 00:42:14,860
I knew a few days
before it ever hit national news.
1028
00:42:14,860 --> 00:42:16,180
Um...
1029
00:42:16,180 --> 00:42:18,660
I used to be very good friends
with Mr Lucca,
1030
00:42:18,660 --> 00:42:22,380
and I was still close friends with
people kind of connected to him.
1031
00:42:22,380 --> 00:42:25,540
And I heard that they were looking
into him for classified information.
1032
00:42:25,540 --> 00:42:25,780
And I heard that they were looking
Yeah.
1033
00:42:25,780 --> 00:42:26,540
Yeah.
1034
00:42:26,540 --> 00:42:29,980
Lucca was the first person who
got visited by any law enforcement.
1035
00:42:29,980 --> 00:42:30,220
Lucca was the first person who
OK.
1036
00:42:30,220 --> 00:42:31,020
OK.
1037
00:42:33,260 --> 00:42:35,460
On April 10, 2023,
1038
00:42:35,460 --> 00:42:37,900
the FBI interviewed Lucca.
1039
00:42:39,940 --> 00:42:42,860
He told them that
a clean-cut white male named Jack
1040
00:42:42,860 --> 00:42:46,420
who lived in Massachusetts and worked
for the US Air National Guard
1041
00:42:46,420 --> 00:42:46,660
who lived in Massachusetts and worked
was the source of the leaks.
1042
00:42:46,660 --> 00:42:48,300
was the source of the leaks.
1043
00:42:52,260 --> 00:42:53,820
Three days later
1044
00:42:53,820 --> 00:42:56,740
federal agents
moved in on Jack Teixeira.
1045
00:43:01,060 --> 00:43:04,300
He was waiting for them on the back
porch of his mother's house,
1046
00:43:04,300 --> 00:43:06,100
reading a Bible.
1047
00:43:08,700 --> 00:43:11,140
CHARLES:
Last thing he ever said to us...
1048
00:43:11,140 --> 00:43:11,380
CHARLES:
..he said, "I'm sorry, guys,
1049
00:43:11,380 --> 00:43:12,740
..he said, "I'm sorry, guys,
1050
00:43:12,740 --> 00:43:12,980
"I really wish
..he said, "I'm sorry, guys,
1051
00:43:12,980 --> 00:43:15,460
"I really wish
this would never have happened.
1052
00:43:15,460 --> 00:43:18,380
"I prayed and I prayed and I prayed
that this day would never come.
1053
00:43:18,380 --> 00:43:21,540
"But now it's just in God's hand.
I love you all."
1054
00:43:22,820 --> 00:43:24,860
And then that was basically it.
1055
00:43:26,620 --> 00:43:29,020
Jack Teixeira
was charged with six counts
1056
00:43:29,020 --> 00:43:29,260
Jack Teixeira
of retaining and transmitting
1057
00:43:29,260 --> 00:43:30,500
of retaining and transmitting
1058
00:43:30,500 --> 00:43:30,740
classified
of retaining and transmitting
1059
00:43:30,740 --> 00:43:34,020
classified
national-defence information.
1060
00:43:34,020 --> 00:43:36,060
The indictment said
that what he leaked
1061
00:43:36,060 --> 00:43:39,700
could be used to the injury
of the United States
1062
00:43:39,700 --> 00:43:42,620
or to the advantage
of a foreign nation.
1063
00:43:42,620 --> 00:43:46,980
Nobody else has been charged
in relation to the leaks.
1064
00:43:46,980 --> 00:43:47,220
Nobody else has been charged
Teixeira has pled not guilty
1065
00:43:47,220 --> 00:43:49,460
Teixeira has pled not guilty
1066
00:43:49,460 --> 00:43:53,340
and remains incarcerated,
pending his trial.
1067
00:43:53,340 --> 00:43:57,020
If convicted,
he could face decades in prison.
1068
00:43:57,020 --> 00:43:59,620
SHANE HARRIS: If you look
at the whole narrative then of Jack,
1069
00:43:59,620 --> 00:44:02,260
there were so many points
where he could have been flagged
1070
00:44:02,260 --> 00:44:02,500
there were so many points
or interrogated further
1071
00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:04,660
or interrogated further
1072
00:44:04,660 --> 00:44:05,900
or even stopped,
1073
00:44:05,900 --> 00:44:07,700
and they just don't happen.
1074
00:44:07,700 --> 00:44:10,300
Once you start tracking back,
1075
00:44:10,300 --> 00:44:14,260
you see failure, failure,
failure, failure, failure.
1076
00:44:14,260 --> 00:44:16,860
There were countless
missed opportunities
1077
00:44:16,860 --> 00:44:17,100
There were countless
literally from the outset.
1078
00:44:17,100 --> 00:44:18,340
literally from the outset.
1079
00:44:18,340 --> 00:44:23,620
And, as a result, we have one of the
worst leak cases in modern times.
1080
00:44:32,260 --> 00:44:35,980
To me, it felt like a mix
of his ego and ideology
1081
00:44:35,980 --> 00:44:36,220
To me, it felt like a mix
and just all of it blended together.
1082
00:44:36,220 --> 00:44:38,580
and just all of it blended together.
1083
00:44:39,540 --> 00:44:43,620
Because when you're on Discord
that much
1084
00:44:43,620 --> 00:44:48,140
you lose a lot
of what normal socialisation is.
1085
00:44:48,140 --> 00:44:53,420
I genuinely just think he never
thought they'd come for him.
1086
00:45:02,980 --> 00:45:05,020
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
1087
00:45:20,620 --> 00:45:22,620
Captions by Red Bee Media
1088
00:45:22,620 --> 00:45:24,820
Copyright
Australian Broadcasting Corporation