FBI director Kash Patel's email hacked: What has been leaked?

Iran -linked hackers have claimed responsibility for breaching the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel , publishing photographs and other documents they say were taken from his inbox.

The group, which calls itself Handala Hack Team, said on its website that Patel was among its “successfully hacked victims.”

A Justice Department official first confirmed to Reuters that Patel’s email account had been compromised and said material posted online appeared to be authentic.

“The FBI is aware of malicious actors targeting Director Patel’s personal email information, and we have taken all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks associated with this activity," an FBI spokesperson told Newsweek . "The information in question is historical in nature and involves no government information."

The Gmail address the hackers said they accessed matched an address previously linked to Patel in older data breaches tracked by the dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs.

Handala posted on its website that after the FBI had seized its domain names and announced $10 million rewards for its members, the group decided to fight back with the hack.

The group said Patel would now see his name on a list of its successfully hacked victims.

The FBI later said that the Department of State's Rewards for Justice program was offering "up to a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification of the Handala Hack Team out of Iran."

A sample of the material appeared to include a mix of personal and work-related correspondence dating from 2010 to 2019. The scope of the breach and how the account was accessed were not immediately clear.

Part of the release showed what appeared to be personal photos of Patel while travelling, as well as a resume.

"The so-called 'impenetrable' systems of the FBI were brought to their knees within hours by our team," Handala said on its website. "All personal and confidential information of Kash Patel, including emails, conversations, documents, and even classified files, is now available for public download."

Western cybersecurity researchers consider Handala to be one of several online personas used by Iranian government-linked cyber intelligence units. The group describes itself as a pro-Palestinian collective and has previously claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on U.S. companies.

On March 19, the U.S. Department of Justice said it had seized four domains used by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, including sites linked to Handala, which had been used to hack U.S. and other targets in recent weeks.

"Iran thought they could hide behind fake websites and keyboard threats to terrorize Americans and silence dissidents,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a press release March 19 . “We took down four of their operation's pillars and we're not done. This FBI will hunt down every actor behind these cowardly death threats and cyberattacks and will bring the full force of American law enforcement down on them.”

On Friday, the FBI said the group had "frequently targeted U.S. government officials".

The bureau also said that it would continue to pursue those responsible and support victims of hacking.

Update 3/27/26, 11:34 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 3/27/26, 12:48 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 3/27/26, 1:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated with from the FBI.

In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek , ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.

When you become a Newsweek Member , you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.