On Wednesday, federal prosecutors declared that a recently convicted former Twitter executive who spied on behalf of Saudi Arabia had been given an extended jail sentence of three and a half years within the United States.
After a jury trial in San Francisco’s federal court, Ahmed Abouammo was found guilty in August and could have received up to 10 years for one count and 20 years on each of several other counts.
According to prosecutors, Abouammo has been accepting bribes from Saudi officials since 2014. At Twitter, he was responsible for overseeing relationships with media personalities and influential figures in the Middle East/ North Africa region.
After being found guilty of relaying confidential details from the firm’s systems to aid Saudi authorities in tracking down Twitter personalities they desired, he was sentenced.
The federal defense lawyers for Abouammo were unable to provide a response when asked about the case. Similarly, Twitter was unavailable for comment regarding this matter.
Received huge amounts of money
The case revolves around Abouammo’s endeavor to uncover the data of two Twitter users, as well as a $42,000 watch he received from a Saudi official and two money transfers worth $100,000.
In context, prosecutors stated that Abouammo helped monitor relationships with journalists and public figures in the Middle East and North Africa.
Not only was he convicted of sharing confidential information from the company’s systems to assist Saudi officials in tracking down Twitter users, but he also used this data for his own benefit.
Federal defense lawyers for Abouammo have not reacted to inquiries for remarks. Twitter has yet to reply to a request for comment, and the Saudi embassy in Washington has likewise remained silent when asked to contribute their opinion.
It is remarkable that an American court found Abouammo, a former Twitter executive, guilty of six criminal offenses. These crimes included working as the Saudi government’s agent and attempting to cover up payments he received from someone involved with the royal family.
Boasting dual citizenship in the United States and Lebanon, Abouammo served as an indispensable part of Twitter’s team while managing relationships with renowned journalists and A-list celebrities from the Middle East to North Africa.
