Psy-Group

Psy-Group owner Joel Zamel signed a memorandum of understanding with Cambridge Analytica on Dec. 14, 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-intelligence-company-formed-venture-with-trump-campaign-firm-cambridge-analytica-1527030765|title=Israeli Intelligence Company Formed Venture With Trump Campaign Firm Cambridge Analytica|last1=Tau|first1=Byron|date=2018-05-23|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-06-05|last2=Ballhaus|first2=Rebecca|issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2ICiq98|title=Kushner's attorney switches firms|last1=Levine|first1=Marianne|last2=Meyer|first2=Theodoric|website=POLITICO|date=23 May 2018 |access-date=2019-06-05}} Alexander Nix the CEO of Cambridge Analytica described entrapping political opponents with bribes and sexual entrapment on a Channel 4 expose, saying, "We use some Israeli companies ... Very effective in intelligence gathering." The Wall Street Journal confirmed that it was referring to Psy-Group.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-intelligence-company-formed-venture-with-trump-campaign-firm-cambridge-analytica-1527030765|title=Israeli Intelligence Company Formed Venture With Trump Campaign Firm Cambridge Analytica|last1=Tau|first1=Byron|date=2018-05-23|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-06-09|last2=Ballhaus|first2=Rebecca|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/05/the-dark-truth-about-cambridge-analyticas-ties-to-trumpworld|title=The Dark Truth About Cambridge Analytica's Ties to Trumpworld|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en|access-date=2019-06-09}}

According to Bloomberg, Psy-Group pitched its services to super-PACs and other entities during the 2016 election. Those services "included infiltrating target audiences with elaborately crafted social-media personas and spreading misleading information through websites meant to mimic news portals." The company created disinformation campaigns and spread propaganda through fake news entities.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-22/mueller-targeted-flows-of-money-to-israeli-social-media-company|title=Mueller Asked About Money Flows to Israeli Social-Media Firm, Source Says|date=2019-06-07|access-date=2019-06-08|language=en}} Psy-Group prepared a document{{Cite web|url=http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/PsyGroupPresentation05-25-2018.pdf|title=Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign Analysis|last=Psy-Group|website=Wall Street Journal}} that outlined how fake news had helped Trump during the election. The document showed North Carolina as a case study of a state that was moved by social media manipulation to "poison the well" create "fake news" and "buzz".{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-intelligence-firms-election-meddling-analysis-comes-under-muellers-scrutiny-1527288767|title=Israeli Intelligence Firm's Election-Meddling Analysis Comes Under Mueller's Scrutiny|last1=Tau|first1=Byron|date=2018-05-25|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-06-08|last2=Ballhaus|first2=Rebecca|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}

According to Republican party insiders, in 2016 Rick Gates, then-deputy chairman of the Trump campaign, reportedly sought Psy-Group's assistance in a scheme referred to as "Project Rome" from George Birnbaum.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/08/politics/nyt-rick-gates-online-manipulation/index.html|title=NY Times: Top Trump campaign official requested online manipulation plans from Israeli company|author=Kate Sullivan|website=CNN|date=8 October 2018 |access-date=2019-06-06}} Shortly after, Psy-Group hired Covington & Burling, a Washington-based law firm, to conduct a legal review of "Project Rome".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/us/politics/rick-gates-psy-group-trump.html|title=Rick Gates Sought Online Manipulation Plans From Israeli Intelligence Firm for Trump Campaign|last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|date=2018-10-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-07|last2=Bergman|first2=Ronen|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Kirkpatrick|first3=David D.|last4=Haberman|first4=Maggie}} The project reportedly included multiple efforts aimed at assisting the Donald Trump campaign, ranging from opposition research to generation of fake online personas. Joel Zamel met Eric Trump later in 2016, but it is unclear if the Trump campaign ever secured Psy-Group's services.{{Cite web|url=https://www.justsecurity.org/57245/russian-trolls-company-evidence-israel-based-psy-groups-social-media-efforts-2016-election/|title=Did Russian Trolls Have Company?: New Evidence on Israel-based PSY-Group's Possible Social Media Efforts in 2016 US Election|date=2018-05-31|website=Just Security|access-date=2019-06-06}} The Wall Street Journal published Psy-Group promotional material purportedly from the meeting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/psygroup.pdf|title=Reality is a Matter of Perception|last=Psy-Group|website=Wall Street Journal}} The interaction between the Trump campaign and Psy-Group became part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.{{cite news|last=Tracy|first=Abigail|date=9 October 2018|title=Rick Gates Sought Israeli Help to Crush Trump's Opponents|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/10/rick-gates-robert-mueller-ted-cruz-hillary-clinton|work=Vanity Fair|access-date=13 February 2019}} Mueller also investigated money flows to Psy-group through Cyprus.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-22/mueller-targeted-flows-of-money-to-israeli-social-media-company|title=Mueller Asked About Money Flows to Israeli Social-Media Firm, Source Says|date=2018-05-22|access-date=2019-06-04}} The FBI investigation into contacts between Joel Zamel and Trump campaign contacts continued beyond the closure of Mueller's Special Counsel investigation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/02/world/middleeast/crown-prince-mohammed-bin-zayed.html|title=The Most Powerful Arab Ruler Isn't M.B.S. It's M.B.Z.|last=Kirkpatrick|first=David D.|date=2019-06-02|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-04|issn=0362-4331}}

The New York Times reported on May 19, 2018, that Donald Trump Jr. met with United Arab Emirates and Saudi intermediary George Nader, Blackwater founder Erik Prince, and Joel Zamel in Trump Tower on August 3, 2016. Nader reportedly told Trump Jr., that the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were eager to help his father win the election, and Zamel pitched a social media manipulation campaign. Trump Jr. reportedly responded favorably and Nader subsequently had frequent meetings with Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, and Jared Kushner.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html|title=Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election|date=May 19, 2018|via=NYTimes.com|access-date=May 19, 2018}}The Times reported that Prince arranged the August 2016 meeting; Prince stated in his November 30, 2017, testimony to the House Intelligence Committee that he had no formal communications or contact, nor any unofficial role, with the Trump campaign.{{citation |title=Testimony of Erik Prince |date=November 30, 2017|access-date=March 27, 2021 |url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG00/20171130/106661/HHRG-115-IG00-Transcript-20171130.pdf}} After Trump was elected, Nader paid Zamel up to $2 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html|title=Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election|last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|date=2018-05-19|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-07|last2=Bergman|first2=Ronen|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Kirkpatrick|first3=David D.}} Nader reportedly visited the White House 13 times in 2017 in order to meet Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist and campaign manager.{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquisitr.com/5604437/convicted-pedophile-george-nader-mueller-report-witness-reportedly-visited-donald-trump-white-house-13-times/|title=Convicted Pedophile George Nader, Mueller Report Witness, Reportedly Visited Donald Trump White House 13 Times|date=2019-08-28|website=The Inquisitr|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-14}}

In February 2018, FBI agents assisting Mueller traveled to Israel to interview employees of Psy-Group, the company whose founder, Joel Zamel, pitched psychological operations to the Trump campaign in 2016. The Daily Beast reported that agents asked about Psy-Group's financial structure, its ownership, and its communications with Team Trump during the 2016 campaign.{{Cite news|last=Woodruff|first=Erin Banco{{!}}Betsy|date=2019-07-09|title=Senate Intel Eyes Social Media Manipulators Who Pitched Team Trump|language=en|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/senate-intel-eyes-social-media-manipulators-who-pitched-team-trump-7|access-date=2019-07-10}} Mueller also subpoenaed records for payments made to PSY Group's bank account in Cyprus.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-22/mueller-targeted-flows-of-money-to-israeli-social-media-company|title=Mueller Asked About Money Flows to Israeli Social-Media Firm, Source Says|date=2019-06-04|access-date=2019-06-05}}

On April 5, 2019 the Senate Intelligence Committee sent a letter to Walter Soriano, the owner of USG Security Limited based in Britain and Israel, for his communication with Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Psy-Group, Wikistrat, and Black Cube, Orbis Business Intelligence (a firm co-founded by Christopher Steele).{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2Ik7OsB|title=Senate Intelligence Committee summons mysterious British security consultant|last=Bertr|first=Natasha|website=POLITICO|date=5 June 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-us-senate-asks-to-interview-israeli-brit-in-connection-with-russia-probe/|title=Report: US Senate asks to interview Israeli-Brit in connection with Russia probe|last=staff|first=T. O. I.|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-07}}

In 2016, Psy-Group was hired to conduct a covert campaign to maintain Parmod Kumar on the board of Tulare Regional Medical Center, a hospital in Tulare, California. The campaign failed. Kumar, along with hospital physician Yorai Benzeevi, was charged in 2018 for an alleged scheme to defraud and embezzle from the hospital.

In February, 2016, Psy-Group started a campaign against Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions activists on U.S. college campuses. Psy-Group collected any "derogatory information" on activists from social media and from HUMINT sources. (Mossad is not allowed to spy on American citizens, but this does not apply to private groups like Psy-Group, which used ex−Mossad operatives.){{cite magazine|last1=Entous|first1=Adam |date=28 February 2019|title=How a Private Israeli Intelligence Firm Spied on Pro-Palestinian Activists in the U.S.|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-a-private-israeli-intelligence-firm-spied-on-pro-palestinian-activists-in-the-us|magazine=New Yorker|access-date=16 March 2019}}

Psy-Group operated a now-defunct website, outlawbds.com, which published information about B.D.S. activists and leaders. People working for "Project Butterfly" included former Israeli national security advisor Yaakov Amidror and former Mossad deputy director Ram Ben-Barak. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also became an adviser to Psy-Group for the project.

"Project Butterfly" showed particular interest in people connected with American Muslims for Palestine, including its founder, Hatem Bazian.

The catalyst for the multi-pronged, multi-year legal battle between two Toronto, Canada-based private equity firms—Catalyst Capital Group and West Face Capital—was West Face's acquisition of WIND Mobile, a Canadian startup wireless provider in September 2014.{{Cite news| last = Kiladze| first = Tim| title = Catalyst offered up to $11-million to Israeli firm that launched sting on Ontario judge | work = The Globe And Mail| access-date = March 27, 2021| date = March 26, 2021| url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-catalyst-offered-up-to-11-million-to-israeli-firm-that-launched-sting/}} Catalyst and West Face are "ferociously competitive", according to a 2017 National Post article. In June 2014, one of Catalyst's former analysts, Brandon Moyse, was hired by West Face.{{citation |number= CV-17-587463-00CL |work=Ontario Superior Court of Justice Commercial List |pages=357|series=Catalyst and Callidus v. West Face |url=https://catalystlitigation.com/wp-content/uploads/Case%202-2015-Callidus-v-Veritas-and-WestFaceCapital/2020/West-Face-Anti-SLAPP-Motions/May-29-2020/West%20Face%20responding%20motion%20record%20re%20Anti-SLAPP%20motion%20against%20West%20Face%20-%2029%20May%202020%20-%20Volume%201%20of%202%20Redacted.pdf |title=Court filing reply and counterclaim |date=May 29, 2020 |access-date=March 27, 2021}} Both firms were submitting competing bids to acquire WIND Mobile in 2014. Catalyst alleged that Moyse had provided West Face with confidential insider information that placed West Face at an advantage, and resulted in their purchase of Wind Mobile from VimpelCom Ltd.{{cite news|title=Catalyst Capital sues former Wind Mobile owners for $750M over alleged conspiracy, breach of contract |url= https://business.financialpost.com/technology/catalyst-capital-sues-former-wind-mobile-owners-for-750m-over-alleged-conspiracy-breach-of-contract |access-date= April 18, 2020 |newspaper= Financial Post |date=June 1, 2016}} By 2021, there were forty parties directly or indirectly involved the suits and countersuits. West Face purchased Wind for $300-million in 2014 and sold it to Shaw Communications for $1.6 billion in February 2016.{{Cite news| last = Jackson| first = Emily| title = Catalyst Capital Group Inc. appeals ruling over Wind Mobile dealings| work = Financial Post |access-date=March 27, 2021| url = https://financialpost.com/technology/catalyst-capital-group-inc-appeals-ruling-over-wind-mobile-dealings |date= September 14, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3739390,00.html|title=Tactics of Israeli Psy-Group, Black Cube Revealed in Canadian Court Battle|first1=Tomer |last1=Ganon |first2=Orr |last2=Hirschauge|date=June 3, 2018|newspaper=Calcalist |location=Tel Aviv, Israel|access-date=March 27, 2021}}

In June 2016, Catalyst filed a lawsuit against VimpelCom Ltd. for $750M over a breach of contract and against West Face for the alleged use of insider information in its acquisition of WIND Mobile. In his August 18, 2016 Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision, Justice Frank Newbould ruled against Catalyst in favor of West Face.{{Cite news| last1 = Livesey| first1 = Bruce| last2 = Boyd| first2 = Roddy| title = Newton Glassman's Legacy of Ashes April 11, 2018| work = The Foundation for Financial Journalism| access-date = March 27, 2021| url = https://ffj-online.org/2018/04/11/newton-glassmans-legacy-of-ashes/}} Newbould dismissed Catalyst's claims in their entirety and found that claims against VimpelCom Action and Moyse were groundless. He also said that Catalyst's owner, Newton Glassman was "aggressive," "argumentative" and "considerably difficult." On September 13, 2016 Catalyst submitted an appeal. On October 7, 2021, Justice Newbould awarded West Face $1,239,965 saying that Glassman was playing hardball because he had lost the opportunity to acquire Wind.

An August 10, 2017 article in the Wall Street Journal, said that complaints against Catalyst had been filed with the Ontario Securities Commission.{{Cite news| issn = 0099-9660| last1 = McNish| first1 = Rob |last2=Copeland |first2=Jacquie| title = Canadian Private-Equity Giant Catalyst Accused of Fraud by Whistleblowers| work = Wall Street Journal| access-date = March 28, 2021| date = August 10, 2017| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadian-private-equity-giant-accused-by-whistleblowers-of-fraud-1502307145}} On August 11, 2017 Catalyst allegedly received an email from Vincent Hanna, the name of a fiction character in the 1995 file Heat, in which the author said that the WSJ article was part of a conspiracy against Catalyst by a cabal led by West Face that was using private investigators.

Callidus Capital whose majority shareholder is Catalyst, said the allegations were false. Catalyst filed a lawsuit against the two reporters on November 7, 2017.{{citation |url=https://calliduscapitallitigation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/31.-suit.pdf |date=November 7, 2017 | access-date = March 28, 2021 |title=Callidus Capital Litigation}}

According to court documents on September 26 and 27, 2017, Catalyst hired Psy Group and Black Cube.

According to a January 28, 2019 New York Times article, the "phenomenon of private spies drew widespread attention in 2017, when Black Cube was linked to the Harvey Weinstein affair. The Times reported on a number of incidents involving Black Cube and Psy-Group, including a sting operation and defamation campaign against West Face.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/black-cube-nso-citizen-lab-intelligence.html|title=The Case of the Bumbling Spy: A Watchdog Group Gets Him on Camera|last1=Bergman|first1=Ronen|date=January 28, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 27, 2021|last2=Shane|first2=Scott|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3747246,00.html|title=Psy-Group CEO Touted Company's Ability to "Change Public Discourse" on a National Level|first1=Tomer |last1=Ganon |first2=Orr |last2=Hirschauge|date=October 9, 2018|newspaper=Calcalist |location=Tel Aviv, Israel|access-date=March 27, 2021}}

West Face said the campaign against them had also included defamatory press releases, online blog posts, tweets, and videos against West Face and its executives, using information gathered or manufactured by the Israeli companies and Rosen, using aliases including "Samantha Beth," "Alex Walker," "Jordan Brown," and "Judge Frank Newbould."{{citation |number=CV-17-587463-00CL |volume=CV-17-586096 |work=Ontario Superior Court of Justice Commercial List |series=Catalyst and Callidus v. West Face |url=https://ffj-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Catalys_ReplyCounterclaim_11.21.18.pdf |title=Court filing reply and counterclaim |date=November 21, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2021}}

According to the complaint, Psy-Group—whose operatives in the Canadian project allegedly included former Israeli television journalist Emmanuel Rosen—worked in tandem with Black Cube, publishing defamatory articles and social media posts about West Face and using sophisticated masking techniques to hide their tracks. West Face learned of Black Cube and Psy-Group's activities when its employees recognized the image of Stella Penn Pechanac in news reports about rape and harassment accusations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Pechanac was a Black Cube employee who reportedly posed as a woman's rights activist and who befriended actress Rose McGowan in a bid to gather intelligence on behalf of Weinstein. Employees of West Face recognized Pechanac as the same woman who had reached out to them.

Rosen is alleged to have worked with Brooklyn-based public relations professional Virginia Jamieson in order to plant "highly negative media coverage" of then 74-year-old Newbould, who had retired from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice

in June 2017.{{Cite news| first = Christie | last = Blatchford| title = Exclusive: The judge, the sting, Black Cube and me |date=November 25, 2017| work = National Post| access-date = March 27, 2021| url = https://nationalpost.com/feature/exclusive-the-judge-the-sting-black-cube-and-me}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-firm-under-fbi-scrutiny-in-trump-probe-allegedly-targeted-bds-activists/|title=Israeli firm under FBI scrutiny in Trump probe allegedly targeted BDS activists|last1=Weinglass|first1=Simona|last2=Horovitz|first2=David|website=www.timesofisrael.com|access-date=2019-06-06|last3=Ahren|first3=Raphael}} On September 18, 2017 a "Black Cube operative" posing as a "potential client" who self-identified as an executive director of London-UK-based Victorius Group, Hugo Gabriel Saavedra Rodriguez, emailed to make an appointment with Newbould at his office in Toronto and later that evening at the chic Toronto restaurant Scaramouche. Newbould was taped surreptitiously at the two meetings and photographed at the second. The agent, "Rodriguez", "apparently tried to induce [Newbould], in vain, to make anti-Semitic remarks". On September 21, Virginia Jamieson, gave the widely-respected, veteran National Post journalist, Christie Blatchford a USB flash drive which contained photographs and seemingly edited recordings of the two meetings with Newbould. On September 25, Catalyst attorneys, Brian Greenspan and David Moore met at the Court seeking an adjournment to the September 26 appeal. In her November 25, 2017 exclusive report in the Post, entitled "The judge, the sting, Black Cube and me", Blatchford reported that "Black Cube had tried to entrap Newbould on behalf of Catalyst Capital Group Inc., a $4.3 billion private equity firm in Toronto that was founded by Newton Glassman, who is Jewish." Catalyst denied the allegations.

On February 21, 2018, the Court of Appeal dismissed Catalyst's appeal of Justice Newbould’s decision regarding Moyse. In a March 19, 2018 letter to their investors, Catalyst said that they had new evidence in their case against West Face.

In the third week in March 2021, an Ontario Superior Court Justice, Cary Boswell, rejected Catalyst and Black Cube's requests to seal records to protect undercover agents. Details in the records will become "part of the public record". By March 27, litigation between Catalyst and West Face continued. Court documents allege that Psy-Group worked with Black Cube on operations to "discredit West Face Capital and to 'indirectly' discredit Newbould." An email correspondence between Black Cube and Psy-Group agents said that, "Basically we’re trying to prove that he’s a racist, a depraved anti-Semite, and trying to find information that could paint him in as negative a light as possible." According to a March 26, 2021 Globe and Mail article on the March 2021 Ontario Superior Court trial in Catalyst v. West Face, that made relevant documents public, operatives working for Psy-Group and the Tel Aviv, Israel-based Black Cube are said to be "former members of the Israeli Defence Forces and the Mossad, the intelligence branch of the Israeli Defence Forces." The Globe reported that in 2017, Catalyst had hired Tamara Global, a security company to prepare for the appeal of Newbould's 2016 Ontario Superior Court decision. Black Cube operatives also hired Tamara as subcontractors. Court papers also revealed that "Catalyst was the party ultimately paying Black Cube's fees, which included a "US$1.5-million base fee, and up to US$11-million in total, after potential bonuses". Catalyst claimed that they were unaware of how "the sting operations were being conducted."

In January 2017, Zamel met with Ahmed al-Assiri (who was implicated in the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi{{Cite web|url=http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13970718000686|title=Farsnews|website=en.farsnews.com|access-date=2019-06-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011053539/http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13970718000686|archive-date=2018-10-11|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/saudis-plan-to-pin-khashoggi-slaying-on-rogue-general|title=Saudis Plan to Pin Khashoggi Slaying on 'Rogue' General|last=Ackerman|first=Kimberly Dozier{{!}}Spencer|date=2018-10-16|access-date=2019-06-05}}) and Trump adviser Michael Flynn in regards to Iran.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/saudi-spy-met-with-team-trump-about-taking-down-iran|title=Exclusive: Saudi Spy Met With Team Trump About Taking Down Iran|last=Woodruff|first=Erin Banco{{!}}Betsy|date=2018-10-25|access-date=2019-06-05}} The subject of the meeting was regime change in Iran. Steve Bannon and Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, a representative of the United Arab Emirates, attended the meeting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-saudi-implicated-in-khashoggi-case-met-flynn-on-iran-regime-change-report/|title=Saudi in Khashoggi case 'met Flynn and Israeli strategist on Iran regime change'|last=staff|first=T. O. I.|website=www.timesofisrael.com|access-date=2019-06-05}}

Bloomberg reported that there was discussion within Psy-Group to rebrand itself as WhiteKnight.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-22/mueller-targeted-flows-of-money-to-israeli-social-media-company|title=Mueller Asked About Money Flows to Israeli Social-Media Firm, Source Says|date=2019-06-23|access-date=2019-06-24|language=en}} WhiteKnight is a private intelligence agency based in the Philippines that has been reported by Bloomberg as being part owned by Joel Zamel and reported by the New York Times as having links to Zamel.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html|title=Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election|last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|date=2018-05-19|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-24|last2=Bergman|first2=Ronen|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Kirkpatrick|first3=David D.}} Along with Psy-Group, which had an agreement with Cambridge Analytica, WhiteKnight has links to Cambridge Analytica and the Brexit Leave campaign.{{Cite news|url=https://libertystratcom.org/2018/04/30/brexit-breach-labour-data-was-shared-with-leave-eu-and-cambridge-analytica/|title=Brexit Breach: Labour Data Was Shared With Leave EU And Cambridge Analytica|date=2018-04-30|website=Liberty STRATCOM|language=en|access-date=2019-06-24}}

WhiteKnight rose to prominence when George Nader turned to the company for information on the 2016 election. It was the second time he reached out to a company owned by Zamel, the first being Psy-Group, which was talked about in a high-level meeting with Nader representing Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and Trump officials including Trump Jr, Erik Prince, Stephen Miller, to assist the then candidate Trump to secure the election via social media manipulation against his rivals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/multiple-trump-campaign-staffers-reached-out-to-israeli-firm-under-fbi-probe/|title=Multiple Trump campaign staffers 'reached out' to Israel firm under FBI scrutiny|last=staff|first=T. O. I.|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-24}} In December 2016, Nader purchased a presentation from WhiteKnight demonstrating the impact of social media campaigns on Trump's electoral victory. Nader made a payment of $2 million to Zamel for his services. WhiteKnight stated that it is global in operations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-who-is-joel-zamel-australian-israeli-linked-to-mueller-s-trump-probe-1.6104963|title=Who Is Joel Zamel, the Australian-Israeli Linked to Mueller's Trump Probe?|last=Sommer|first=Allison Kaplan|date=2018-05-21|work=Haaretz|access-date=2019-06-24|language=en}} On October 22, 2018, Senator Richard Blumenthal sent letters to Facebook, Google, Reddit and Twitter asking each company about companies associated with Joel Zamel including WhiteKnight, Psy-Group and Wikistrat and if they had purchased advertisements or used fake accounts on their platforms.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/412618-senate-dem-asks-tech-companies-to-look-into-saudi-propaganda-efforts|title=Senate Dem asks tech companies to look into Saudi propaganda efforts|last=Neidig|first=Harper|date=2018-10-22|website=TheHill|language=en|access-date=2019-06-24}}

Psy-Group structure was multilayered. The company had a bank account in Cyprus under a company called IOCO, which was owned or partly owned at one point by British Virgin Islands-based Protexer Limited and Cornell Enterprises SA, which in turn was managed by Zürich-based Salix Services AG.{{Cite news|last=Rawnsley|first=Erin Banco{{!}}Adam|date=2019-02-12|title=Swiss Mystery Company Is at the Heart of a Mueller Puzzle|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/swiss-mystery-company-is-at-the-heart-of-a-mueller-puzzle|access-date=2019-06-04}}{{Cite news|date=2019-06-04|title=Mueller Asked About Money Flows to Israeli Social-Media Firm, Source Says|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-22/mueller-targeted-flows-of-money-to-israeli-social-media-company|access-date=2019-06-04}}{{Cite web|last=Gilbert|first=David|date=2018-10-09|title=A top Trump aide asked an Israeli company for help to take Ted Cruz out of the 2016 election|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rick-gates-trump-campaign-2016-psy-group-ted-cruz/|access-date=2019-06-04|website=Vice News}} Ownership of IOCO changed annually. Protexer subsidiary MGTM Financial Services Limited is owned by Metropol Group in Moscow and run by Mikhail Slipenchuk.{{Cite web|last=Gilbert|first=David|date=2018-10-09|title=A top Trump aide asked an Israeli company for help to take Ted Cruz out of the 2016 election|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rick-gates-trump-campaign-2016-psy-group-ted-cruz/|access-date=2019-06-05|website=Vice News}}{{Cite web|title=Mikhail Viktorovich Slipenchuk: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=3549466&privcapId=34601689&previousCapId=34601689&previousTitle=Metropol%20Group|access-date=2019-06-05|website=www.bloomberg.com}} Psy-Group was operating under the name Invop Ltd., which was founded on December 22, 2014.{{Cite web|last1=Weinglass|first1=Simona|last2=Horovitz|first2=David|last3=Ahren|first3=Raphael|title=Israeli firm under FBI scrutiny in Trump probe allegedly targeted BDS activists|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-firm-under-fbi-scrutiny-in-trump-probe-allegedly-targeted-bds-activists/|access-date=2019-06-05|website=www.timesofisrael.com}} Most of the Israeli-based employees came from the same school Joel Zamel attended: the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya.

The work of Psy-Group was international. They sought Donald Trump as a client in 2016. Psy-Group and Black Cube approached the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs and offered their services to fight against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that was rejected. The ministry rejected Psy-Group's offer. Instead, Kela Shlomo was successful.{{Cite web|last=Horovitz|first=David|title=BDS is a dirty business. Those who battle it on Israel's behalf must stay clean|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/bds-is-a-dirty-business-those-who-battle-it-on-israels-behalf-must-stay-clean/|access-date=2019-06-09|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US}}

Scott Mortman managed Psy-Group's American clients. Mortman was previously an advisor to the Prime Minister's Office in Israel and currently works for Greenberg Traurig LLP (where Marc L. Mukasey and Rudy Giuliani have both worked with, where both are representing Donald Trump and Mukasey is representing Zamel).{{Cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|date=2018-05-10|title=Giuliani's Law Firm Undercuts His Statements as They Part Ways|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-resigns-law-firm-greenberg-traurig.html|access-date=2019-06-19|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|title=One Of Donald Trump's New Attorneys Recently Left His Global Law Firm|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/chrisgeidner/marc-mukasey-trump-giuliani|access-date=2019-06-19|website=BuzzFeed News|date=11 February 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Meyer|first=Theodoric|title=Trump-connected lobbyists sign more clients|url=https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/politico-influence/2017/03/trump-connected-lobbyists-sign-more-clients-219017|access-date=2019-06-18|website=POLITICO|date=2 March 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=US Leadership Biographies|url=https://aicf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AICF-Leadership-Bios-US-Israel.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618101359/https://aicf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AICF-Leadership-Bios-US-Israel.pdf|archive-date=2019-06-18|website=America-Israel Cultural Foundation}}{{Cite web|date=2012-07-10|title=Greenberg Traurig's Israel Practice Continues Growth Adds Scott Mortman and Ephraim Schmeidler|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120710006237/en/Greenberg-Traurig%E2%80%99s-Israel-Practice-Continues-Growth-Adds|access-date=2019-06-18|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|author=Kara Scannell and Sara Murray|title=Giuliani ally in talks to join Trump legal team|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/02/politics/marc-mukasey-trump-legal-team/index.html|access-date=2019-06-18|website=CNN|date=3 May 2018 }}

There is a legal challenge to keep data left on computers that were used by Psy-group instead of being erased relating to the West Face Capital.{{Cite news|last=Megiddo|first=Gur|date=2019-06-18|title=Israel Seeks to Erase Archives of Intel Firm Psy-Group Employed in anti-BDS Campaign|language=en|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-seeks-to-erase-archives-of-intel-firm-employed-in-anti-bds-campaign-1.7377427|access-date=2019-06-18}} In June 2019 it was reported that the Israeli Central District Magistrate's Court blocked the computers’ backup process in a closed hearing. Judge Irit Weinberg-Nutovitz announced that the data would be downloaded and given to the government's Administrator General and Official Receiver. Psy-Group liquidator, Hayut Greenberg, and Calanit Hermelin-Vager, who represents the Official Receiver, opposed the forensic backup.{{Cite news|last=Gur|first=Megiddo|date=June 18, 2019|title=Israel Seeks to Erase Archives of Intel Firm Psy-Group Employed in anti-BDS Campaign|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-seeks-to-erase-archives-of-intel-firm-employed-in-anti-bds-campaign-1.7377427|access-date=September 14, 2019}}

The Senate Intelligence Committee was reported to have investigated Psy-Group by reaching out to Royi Burstien and Joel Zamel.

• Black Cube
• NSO Group
• Wikistrat
• WhiteKnight
• Cambridge Analytica
• Unit 8200
• Special Counsel investigation (2017–present)
• Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (January–June 2018)
• Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (2019)
• Archimedes Group

{{reflist}}

Category:Private intelligence agencies

Category:Private investigators

Category:2014 establishments in Israel

Category:Business intelligence companies

Category:Companies based in Tel Aviv

Category:Business services companies established in 2014

Category:Business services companies disestablished in the 21st century