1 00:00:00,020 --> 00:00:02,060 (THEME MUSIC PLAYS) 2 00:00:12,820 --> 00:00:16,340 NARRATOR: It started on the online chat platform Discord, 3 00:00:16,340 --> 00:00:19,260 a post by a person known only as Lucca. 4 00:00:23,180 --> 00:00:26,180 Classified US intelligence documents. 5 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:29,620 One batch after another. 6 00:00:30,580 --> 00:00:36,100 Documents labelled 'Top Secret' soon spilled onto social media. 7 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:36,340 Documents labelled 'Top Secret' That's when it made headlines. 8 00:00:36,340 --> 00:00:38,580 That's when it made headlines. 9 00:00:38,580 --> 00:00:41,580 REPORTER: Top-secret documents about the war in Ukraine 10 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:41,820 REPORTER: Top-secret documents have appeared on social media. 11 00:00:41,820 --> 00:00:43,660 have appeared on social media. 12 00:00:43,660 --> 00:00:43,900 Investigations are underway into the leak have appeared on social media. 13 00:00:43,900 --> 00:00:45,940 Investigations are underway into the leak 14 00:00:45,940 --> 00:00:46,180 Investigations are underway into the leak of classified Pentagon documents. 15 00:00:46,180 --> 00:00:48,020 of classified Pentagon documents. 16 00:00:48,020 --> 00:00:50,860 The Pentagon is dealing with the fallout from the worst leak 17 00:00:50,860 --> 00:00:54,300 of US national security intelligence in many years. 18 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:58,940 Top-secret documents show Ukraine's air defence vulnerability. 19 00:00:58,940 --> 00:01:00,260 SAMUEL OAKFORD: After this hit the news, 20 00:01:00,260 --> 00:01:00,500 SAMUEL OAKFORD: we're trying to figure out 21 00:01:00,500 --> 00:01:02,020 we're trying to figure out 22 00:01:02,020 --> 00:01:03,540 A, the extent of the leak 23 00:01:03,540 --> 00:01:06,380 and B, obviously who leaked it. 24 00:01:10,180 --> 00:01:11,780 We were looking into Lucca, 25 00:01:11,780 --> 00:01:14,620 trying to find traces of him across the web. 26 00:01:14,620 --> 00:01:17,380 Sam Oakford is on the visual forensics team 27 00:01:17,380 --> 00:01:18,820 at The Washington Post. 28 00:01:18,820 --> 00:01:22,740 I got in touch with someone else in this Discord server 29 00:01:22,740 --> 00:01:22,980 I got in touch with someone else and we had a video call. 30 00:01:22,980 --> 00:01:24,900 and we had a video call. 31 00:01:33,180 --> 00:01:36,660 He was clear that Lucca was not the originator 32 00:01:36,660 --> 00:01:36,900 of these leaked documents. He was clear that Lucca was not the originator 33 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:38,340 of these leaked documents. 34 00:01:40,060 --> 00:01:43,780 He showed me what he said were additional documents 35 00:01:43,780 --> 00:01:47,700 that hadn't been in the tranche that Lucca was tied to. 36 00:01:49,100 --> 00:01:53,380 Shane Harris is a national-security reporter at The Post. 37 00:01:53,380 --> 00:01:54,820 SHANE HARRIS: Sam sends me a picture 38 00:01:54,820 --> 00:01:58,100 that this source has taken of a document and shared with Sam. 39 00:01:59,060 --> 00:02:00,900 Oh. Wow. 40 00:02:00,900 --> 00:02:02,900 OK, it's the Chinese spy balloon 41 00:02:02,900 --> 00:02:07,180 that had some months earlier drifted over North America. 42 00:02:07,180 --> 00:02:12,820 And this appears to be a picture taken from above the spy balloon, 43 00:02:12,820 --> 00:02:17,900 which means it could only come from a government surveillance platform. 44 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:19,540 I thought, "How does a teenager 45 00:02:19,540 --> 00:02:22,020 "have access to highly classified documents?" 46 00:02:22,020 --> 00:02:23,900 A few hours later 47 00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:25,580 the source called back. 48 00:02:25,580 --> 00:02:25,820 SAMUEL OAKFORD: This is a recording the source called back. 49 00:02:25,820 --> 00:02:29,500 SAMUEL OAKFORD: This is a recording from a call I had that night. 50 00:02:41,740 --> 00:02:45,780 That's when this story started. 51 00:02:48,900 --> 00:02:51,420 The reporters arranged to meet the source in person. 52 00:02:52,860 --> 00:02:56,660 We're sitting on this park bench and this kid arrives, 53 00:02:56,660 --> 00:02:56,900 We're sitting on this park bench and before we've even got a chance 54 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:58,460 and before we've even got a chance 55 00:02:58,460 --> 00:02:58,700 to start introducing ourselves and before we've even got a chance 56 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:00,460 to start introducing ourselves to each other, he says, 57 00:03:00,460 --> 00:03:03,060 "So, I have this information and I want to give it to you." 58 00:03:03,060 --> 00:03:03,300 "So, I have this information He pops open the laptop, 59 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:05,540 He pops open the laptop, 60 00:03:05,540 --> 00:03:09,980 and it's pretty clear within a minute or two 61 00:03:09,980 --> 00:03:14,700 that this kid has an astonishing range of classified documents. 62 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:17,820 The leak was far bigger than anyone had understood. 63 00:03:17,820 --> 00:03:18,060 The leak was far bigger More than 300 pages 64 00:03:18,060 --> 00:03:19,380 More than 300 pages 65 00:03:19,380 --> 00:03:19,620 that included some of the most More than 300 pages 66 00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:22,060 that included some of the most highly classified information 67 00:03:22,060 --> 00:03:22,300 that included some of the most in the US government, 68 00:03:22,300 --> 00:03:23,740 in the US government, 69 00:03:23,740 --> 00:03:26,900 from secret Pentagon assessments of the war in Ukraine 70 00:03:26,900 --> 00:03:30,100 to revelations about Iran's nuclear program 71 00:03:30,100 --> 00:03:34,780 to scenarios about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. 72 00:03:34,780 --> 00:03:37,980 And that's when he starts to tell us the story 73 00:03:37,980 --> 00:03:38,220 And that's when he starts of a group of friends 74 00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:39,740 of a group of friends 75 00:03:39,740 --> 00:03:42,620 who he made online during the pandemic 76 00:03:42,620 --> 00:03:44,460 in a Discord server 77 00:03:44,460 --> 00:03:46,980 that they called Thug Shaker Central. 78 00:03:46,980 --> 00:03:47,220 that they called And he described one individual 79 00:03:47,220 --> 00:03:49,420 And he described one individual 80 00:03:49,420 --> 00:03:50,820 who, over the course of many months, 81 00:03:50,820 --> 00:03:54,340 had shared hundreds and hundreds of classified documents. 82 00:03:56,500 --> 00:03:59,780 As the reporters were returning home with the documents... 83 00:04:01,180 --> 00:04:04,020 ..the FBI was closing in on a suspect. 84 00:04:04,020 --> 00:04:06,740 REPORTER: Jack Teixeira... REPORTER: Jack Douglas Teixeira... 85 00:04:06,740 --> 00:04:06,980 REPORTER: Jack Teixeira... REPORTER: Jack Teixeira, 86 00:04:06,980 --> 00:04:08,060 REPORTER: Jack Teixeira, 87 00:04:08,060 --> 00:04:08,300 the man suspected of leaking highly REPORTER: Jack Teixeira, 88 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:11,340 the man suspected of leaking highly classified military documents, 89 00:04:11,340 --> 00:04:11,580 the man suspected of leaking highly has been found. 90 00:04:11,580 --> 00:04:12,900 has been found. 91 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:14,820 REPORTER: That's him in the red shorts there. 92 00:04:14,820 --> 00:04:18,260 The 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member 93 00:04:18,260 --> 00:04:20,220 was taken into custody earlier today. 94 00:04:22,540 --> 00:04:25,380 SAMUEL OAKFORD: This 21-year-old Air National Guardman 95 00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:26,980 is alleged to have disclosed 96 00:04:26,980 --> 00:04:30,340 hundreds of top-secret government documents online 97 00:04:30,340 --> 00:04:30,580 hundreds of top-secret to his gaming buddies. 98 00:04:30,580 --> 00:04:32,020 to his gaming buddies. 99 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:34,300 Why did he do it? 100 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:35,900 How did he do it? 101 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:37,820 What drove him? 102 00:04:38,780 --> 00:04:40,540 Who is he? 103 00:04:45,820 --> 00:04:47,580 Over the next six months 104 00:04:47,580 --> 00:04:49,540 reporters at The Washington Post 105 00:04:49,540 --> 00:04:52,980 would investigate Jack Teixeira's world. 106 00:04:52,980 --> 00:04:55,780 It largely played out online. 107 00:04:55,780 --> 00:04:58,260 SAMUEL OAKFORD: Our whole team was working on this, 108 00:04:58,260 --> 00:05:01,500 creating networks, basically, of people 109 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:03,940 based on their social-media profiles, 110 00:05:03,940 --> 00:05:06,500 because they interacted in some way with Jack 111 00:05:06,500 --> 00:05:06,740 because they interacted or someone he was connected to. 112 00:05:06,740 --> 00:05:08,980 or someone he was connected to. 113 00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:15,580 Chris Dehghanpoor specialises in tracking down sources online. 114 00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:19,340 He worked as an information security engineer at a gaming platform 115 00:05:19,340 --> 00:05:22,820 before becoming an investigative reporter at The Post. 116 00:05:24,460 --> 00:05:28,660 The first thing I tried to do was to find his Steam profile. 117 00:05:28,660 --> 00:05:31,620 Steam is an online gaming network 118 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:35,300 that is very popular with users on Discord. 119 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:38,740 And, if we could find his friend list, 120 00:05:38,740 --> 00:05:39,020 we could start to kind of build out a network And, if we could find his friend list, 121 00:05:39,020 --> 00:05:41,900 we could start to kind of build out a network 122 00:05:41,900 --> 00:05:43,620 of other users that he was interacting with. 123 00:05:43,620 --> 00:05:43,900 of other users that he was interacting with. Here's a list of people that both Jack and Mr Lucca were friends with. 124 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:50,300 Here's a list of people that both Jack and Mr Lucca were friends with. 125 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:53,460 Out of the many friend requests that I sent out, 126 00:05:53,460 --> 00:05:55,700 only a handful actually responded. 127 00:05:55,700 --> 00:06:00,300 One of those happened to be the user that is named Crow. 128 00:06:00,300 --> 00:06:03,340 After about a half hour of going back and forth, 129 00:06:03,340 --> 00:06:03,580 After about a half hour they revealed that they had dated. 130 00:06:03,580 --> 00:06:05,340 they revealed that they had dated. 131 00:06:05,340 --> 00:06:05,580 For me, they revealed that they had dated. 132 00:06:05,580 --> 00:06:08,860 For me, that definitely set alarm bells off. 133 00:06:08,860 --> 00:06:11,620 What are the odds of, you know, one of the first people 134 00:06:11,620 --> 00:06:14,540 that kind of replies to my random friend request the day of 135 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:18,100 happens to be someone that dated Jack? 136 00:06:18,100 --> 00:06:21,340 It seemed astronomical that that was actually happening. 137 00:06:24,420 --> 00:06:26,380 But her story checked out. 138 00:06:26,380 --> 00:06:29,340 In a series of contacts with Crow 139 00:06:29,340 --> 00:06:29,580 The Post reporters In a series of contacts with Crow 140 00:06:29,580 --> 00:06:32,300 The Post reporters began to find out more about her 141 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:35,340 and her relationship with Jack Teixeira. 142 00:06:35,340 --> 00:06:35,580 and her relationship SHANE HARRIS: They met online. 143 00:06:35,580 --> 00:06:37,340 SHANE HARRIS: They met online. 144 00:06:37,340 --> 00:06:37,580 They were very close SHANE HARRIS: They met online. 145 00:06:37,580 --> 00:06:39,820 They were very close during the pandemic. 146 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:47,420 I get the feeling that, when she's telling this story about Jack, 147 00:06:47,420 --> 00:06:47,660 I get the feeling that, when she's speaking as somebody 148 00:06:47,660 --> 00:06:49,020 she's speaking as somebody 149 00:06:49,020 --> 00:06:49,260 who also went down she's speaking as somebody 150 00:06:49,260 --> 00:06:52,180 who also went down some very deep rabbit holes 151 00:06:52,180 --> 00:06:52,420 who also went down and went to some very dark places. 152 00:06:52,420 --> 00:06:54,260 and went to some very dark places. 153 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:01,980 She became a neo-Nazi because of people she met online. 154 00:07:01,980 --> 00:07:02,220 She became a neo-Nazi because of people she met online. She wants to tell her story 155 00:07:02,220 --> 00:07:05,020 She wants to tell her story 156 00:07:05,020 --> 00:07:08,540 as somebody saying, "Look, I made bad choices in my life." 157 00:07:08,540 --> 00:07:08,780 as somebody saying, "Look, She agreed to go on camera 158 00:07:08,780 --> 00:07:10,820 She agreed to go on camera 159 00:07:10,820 --> 00:07:15,020 if we used her online name and her whole face wasn't shown. 160 00:07:15,020 --> 00:07:18,740 She said she no longer has anything to do with the neo-Nazi movement. 161 00:07:18,740 --> 00:07:21,540 No, I don't believe any of that anymore. 162 00:07:21,540 --> 00:07:21,780 No, I don't believe any of that I realised as time went on 163 00:07:21,780 --> 00:07:23,620 I realised as time went on 164 00:07:23,620 --> 00:07:23,860 that those views I realised as time went on 165 00:07:23,860 --> 00:07:27,460 that those views were just inherently false. 166 00:07:27,460 --> 00:07:27,700 that those views But before then I realised 167 00:07:27,700 --> 00:07:29,340 But before then I realised 168 00:07:29,340 --> 00:07:32,100 that it was potentially going to get me killed 169 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:32,340 that it was potentially to stay in those communities. 170 00:07:32,340 --> 00:07:33,780 to stay in those communities. 171 00:07:33,780 --> 00:07:35,060 Is that fear the reason 172 00:07:35,060 --> 00:07:38,420 that you don't want to be identified in this interview? 173 00:07:38,420 --> 00:07:38,660 that you don't want to be identified Partially, yeah. 174 00:07:38,660 --> 00:07:39,820 Partially, yeah. 175 00:07:39,820 --> 00:07:44,100 I don't think anyone would seek me out to hurt me, 176 00:07:44,100 --> 00:07:46,140 but it's better to be safe than sorry. 177 00:07:46,140 --> 00:07:49,620 Crow says she met Jack Teixeira online. 178 00:07:49,620 --> 00:07:53,300 What were some of his just general political views of the day? 179 00:07:53,300 --> 00:07:53,540 What were some of his just general He was patriotic. He liked America. 180 00:07:53,540 --> 00:07:55,780 He was patriotic. He liked America. 181 00:07:55,780 --> 00:07:57,620 Um... 182 00:07:57,620 --> 00:07:59,740 I guess... 183 00:07:59,740 --> 00:08:01,860 ..best way I could possibly describe him 184 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:02,100 ..best way would be kind of like a libertarian. 185 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:05,140 would be kind of like a libertarian. 186 00:08:05,140 --> 00:08:05,380 He had strong opinions would be kind of like a libertarian. 187 00:08:05,380 --> 00:08:06,940 He had strong opinions about everything. 188 00:08:06,940 --> 00:08:07,180 He had strong opinions He was not a neo-Nazi, 189 00:08:07,180 --> 00:08:09,140 He was not a neo-Nazi, 190 00:08:09,140 --> 00:08:11,100 but definitely conservative. 191 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:16,340 Really supported, like, gun rights, First Amendment rights. 192 00:08:16,340 --> 00:08:20,620 So, it was definitely a plus to me that he was fine with my beliefs. 193 00:08:20,620 --> 00:08:24,100 He texted me this big, long, emotional thing, 194 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:24,340 He texted me uh...asking me to date him, 195 00:08:24,340 --> 00:08:26,820 uh...asking me to date him, 196 00:08:26,820 --> 00:08:29,380 telling me that I was, like, 197 00:08:29,380 --> 00:08:29,620 the last part of this dystopian telling me that I was, like, 198 00:08:29,620 --> 00:08:33,300 the last part of this dystopian world that he liked. 199 00:08:33,300 --> 00:08:33,540 the last part of this dystopian Um... 200 00:08:33,540 --> 00:08:35,060 Um... 201 00:08:35,060 --> 00:08:37,220 He knew everything about my life. 202 00:08:37,220 --> 00:08:40,100 Crow says they never met in person, 203 00:08:40,100 --> 00:08:40,340 but they had an online relationship Crow says they never met in person, 204 00:08:40,340 --> 00:08:44,140 but they had an online relationship for about a year. 205 00:08:44,140 --> 00:08:46,660 I think in front of his friends he kind of put on this front of, 206 00:08:46,660 --> 00:08:46,900 I think in front of his friends "Oh, I don't really care." 207 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:47,940 "Oh, I don't really care." 208 00:08:47,940 --> 00:08:48,180 Way more typically masculine "Oh, I don't really care." 209 00:08:48,180 --> 00:08:52,460 Way more typically masculine and conservative. 210 00:08:52,460 --> 00:08:55,340 I think he wanted them to think of him pretty, like, highly. 211 00:08:55,340 --> 00:08:57,660 But when you're one-on-one with him, he was... 212 00:08:58,620 --> 00:09:03,260 ..much more of a genuinely, like, sweet person. 213 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:07,820 Jack Teixeira's family would not speak on the record, 214 00:09:07,820 --> 00:09:10,340 but The Post reporters were able to piece together 215 00:09:10,340 --> 00:09:12,740 an outline of his childhood. 216 00:09:12,740 --> 00:09:15,660 Teixeira grew up in Dighton, Massachusetts, 217 00:09:15,660 --> 00:09:15,900 Teixeira grew up in Dighton, a tranquil corner of the state. 218 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:18,620 a tranquil corner of the state. 219 00:09:18,620 --> 00:09:19,620 (CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) 220 00:09:19,620 --> 00:09:19,860 SHANE HARRIS: You see family photos (CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) 221 00:09:19,860 --> 00:09:21,660 SHANE HARRIS: You see family photos of him when he's little. 222 00:09:21,660 --> 00:09:25,260 He looks just like a typical, ordinary little kid. 223 00:09:27,140 --> 00:09:29,820 Seems to come from a big family. 224 00:09:29,820 --> 00:09:31,620 Here he is playing a game online. 225 00:09:31,620 --> 00:09:34,260 He looks about six years old in this picture. 226 00:09:34,260 --> 00:09:38,540 He was obsessed as a young kid with military weaponry and hardware 227 00:09:38,540 --> 00:09:38,780 He was obsessed as a young kid and World War II aeroplanes. 228 00:09:38,780 --> 00:09:40,540 and World War II aeroplanes. 229 00:09:40,540 --> 00:09:40,780 He was a bright kid, and World War II aeroplanes. 230 00:09:40,780 --> 00:09:43,820 He was a bright kid, by all accounts. 231 00:09:43,820 --> 00:09:46,460 In middle school he made the honour roll. 232 00:09:47,420 --> 00:09:50,460 We understand he's reasonably close to his parents. 233 00:09:50,460 --> 00:09:53,900 He lives at the home of his mother and stepfather, 234 00:09:53,900 --> 00:09:54,140 He lives at the home but he's also close with his dad. 235 00:09:54,140 --> 00:09:55,740 but he's also close with his dad. 236 00:09:56,700 --> 00:09:58,220 We know that in middle school 237 00:09:58,220 --> 00:09:58,460 he started playing Call Of Duty We know that in middle school 238 00:09:58,460 --> 00:10:01,820 he started playing Call Of Duty and Grand Theft Auto 239 00:10:01,820 --> 00:10:02,060 he started playing Call Of Duty with friends online. 240 00:10:02,060 --> 00:10:03,860 with friends online. 241 00:10:05,580 --> 00:10:07,220 He gets to high school 242 00:10:07,220 --> 00:10:09,940 and it seems like maybe this is a period 243 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