- A man working on a military base leaked classified US intelligence documents to a close-knit Discord group called “Thug Shaker Central.”
- The leaked material included information on arms sales, troop positions, and special forces operations, eventually spreading to other platforms like Telegram, 4chan, and Twitter.
- The Pentagon and the Justice Department have launched investigations into the leaks, with the leaker expressing panic and regret before the story became public.
Identity of the Leaker
A man reportedly working on a military base is believed to be the source of the leaked classified US intelligence documents. He shared the sensitive material with a close-knit group of online friends on the chat platform Discord. Known only as “OG,” the leaker is described as smart, fit, and well-trained by a teenager in the group, who claims to be friends with him.
The Discord Group
The private Discord group, named “Thug Shaker Central,” was formed in 2020 during the pandemic’s peak. It consisted of around 25 members, including several foreign citizens from Russia and Ukraine.
The group members grew close, discussing video games, jokes, memes, and praying together. They also watched as “OG” posted transcribed material from secret government documents.
Sharing Classified Material
“OG” obtained the documents from his job at an unnamed military base, where he had access to a secure facility. He initially posted transcriptions of the documents, but later shared photos of the documents themselves when typing proved too time-consuming.
The leaked material included information on Egyptian arms sales to Russia, Russian mercenaries requesting weapons from Turkey, maps of Ukrainian and Russian troop positions, casualty counts, and details on US and allied special forces in Ukraine.
Leak Spreads Online
In late 2022, “OG” began sharing photos of several documents weekly, some of which contained clues that could potentially be used to identify him. The material was leaked to another Discord server in February 2023, and by April, classified documents related to the war in Ukraine appeared on Russian Telegram channels, 4chan, and Twitter. US officials became aware of the leak at that point.
Investigations Launched
The Pentagon and the Justice Department have initiated investigations into the leaks. Before the New York Times broke the story on April 6, “OG” reportedly entered the server in a panic, saying that he prayed something like this would not happen but that it was now in God’s hands.
