The phone of White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles was hacked, and messages and calls were sent on her behalf to American senators, governors and big businessmen, writes The Wall Street Journal, citing its own sources.
Wiles is one of the closest advisers to US President Donald Trump. She led his election campaign and has connections in Republican circles, the publication notes.
By hacking her personal phone, malicious individuals gained access to contact information for the most influential people in the country. One senator allegedly received a message from Wiles asking for a money order, and another lawmaker was asked to compile a list of people Trump could pardon. Artificial intelligence likely helped mimic the employee's voice during phone calls.
Recipients of the letters written on Wiles' behalf have expressed doubts about their authenticity due to grammatical errors and a more formal style than the White House chief of staff typically uses in his correspondence. In addition, the person posing as Wiles asked questions about Trump that she should know the answers to.
Who tried to impersonate Wiles and what their goals were are still unknown; the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White House are investigating. At this time, they have no reason to believe that a foreign country is involved in the incident.