Barrett Brown

[[File:Photo of Barrett Brown.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Brown in a year before 2013]]
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'''Barrett Lancaster Brown''' {{lived|1981}} is an [[American]] [[journalist]], essayist and activist. He is a former associate of [[Anonymous]] who claims to be a former [[prison]] [[gang]] leader. He openly talks about using [[crack cocaine]] [[heroin]] and [[meth]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barrett Brown Is Anonymous |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2011/april/how-barrett-brown-helped-overthrow-the-government-of-tunisia/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Barrett |date=2020-12-13 |title=Barrett Brown on Pursuance |url=https://barrettbrown.medium.com/barrett-brown-on-pursuance-ae7a2255b11f |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=Medium |language=en |archive-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416011917/https://barrettbrown.medium.com/barrett-brown-on-pursuance-ae7a2255b11f |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Barrett Brown: “Maybe it is an act of civil disobedience — maybe it is a war” |url=https://medium.com/krautreporter-stories/barret-brown-612b35784c81 |language=en }}</ref>

In January 2015, Brown was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for the crimes of accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice, and threatening the government officials of the threatening a federal officer stemming from the FBI's investigation into the 2012 Stratfor email leak.<ref name=nation>[http://www.thenation.com/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown The Strange Case of Barrett Brown: Amid the outrage over the NSA's spying program, the jailing of journalist Barrett Brown points to a deeper and very troubling problem.] by Peter Ludlow (June 18, 2013) ''The Nation''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A Dispatch From Outside the Prison Holding Barrett Brown|date=March 8, 2014|work=Vice|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/ae3g5p/a-dispatch-from-outside-barrett-browns-prison |first=Daniel |last=Stuckey |access-date=April 20, 2021 }}</ref> As part of his sentence, Brown was also required to pay almost $900,000 to Stratfor.<ref name=brown>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/31/my-post-cyberpunk-indentured-servitude.html My Post Cyberpunk Indentured Servitude] by Barrett Brown (Published Jan. 31, 2015 6:45AM ET; Updated Apr. 14, 2017 12:26PM ET) ''The Daily Beast''.</ref> Brown later sought and was denied [[asylum]] in the [[United Kingdom]].

==Association with Anonymous==
In November 2011, Brown said that 75 names of members of Zetas drug cartel would be released if a member of the Anonymous group who had been kidnapped was not set free.<ref name=zetas>{{cite news
 | url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2011/11/barrett-brown-vs-the-zetas/
 | title=Barrett Brown vs. The Zetas
 | work=D Magazine
 | author=Tim Rogers
 | date=November 4, 2011 | accessdate=October 9, 2013 }}
</ref> Brown said the member was then released and that there was a truce between him and the drug cartel for the moment. Others have said the kidnapping was fake, noting a lack of details and police reports.<ref name="Fake kidnapping">{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/nov/02/anonymous-zetas-hacking-climbdown |title=Anonymous retreats from Mexico drug cartel confrontation |work=The Guardian |date=November 2, 2011 |accessdate=September 12, 2021 |author=Arthur, Charles}}</ref>

Some media outlets have presented Brown as a self-proclaimed spokesperson for [[Anonymous]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zetter |first=Kim |title=Anonymous' Barrett Brown Raided by FBI During Online Chat |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/09/barret-brown-raid/ |access-date=2022-03-20 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-03-26 |title=Activist, self-appointed spokesman for Anonymous in trouble after his posts rankle authorities |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/activist-self-appointed-spokesman-for-anonymous-in-trouble-after-his-posts-rankle-authorities |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref> which he disputes, saying "it doesn’t work that way."<ref>{{cite news
 | url=https://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/we-spoke-to-barrett-brown-from-prison
 | work=VICE
 | title=We Spoke To Barrett Brown From Prison
 | author=Patrick McGuire
 | date=March 1, 2013 | accessdate=November 11, 2013 }}
</ref> Brown has said he renounced his links with the group in 2011.<ref name=zetas /><ref name=arstechnica>{{cite news
 | url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/05/why-anonymous-spokesman-is-leaving-the-group/
 | title=Prolific "spokesman" for Anonymous leaves the hacker group
 | work=Ars Technica
 | author=Nate Anderson | date=May 6, 2011 | accessdate=October 9, 2013 }}</ref> 

In early 2011, Brown claimed to have contacted an NSA representative to inform them that Anonymous had obtained a copy of the Stuxnet malware.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2017/april/barrett-browns-descent-into-the-wild/ |title=Barrett Brown’s Descent Into the Wild}}</ref> In December 2011, Brown told reporters that Anonymous had hacked millions of emails from Stratfor, a geopolitics publisher and consultancy, over [[Christmas]] and that they would be released by [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Credit card hackers threaten to publish ‘damaging’ e mails |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/credit-card-hackers-threaten-to-publish-damaging-e-mails-b3qdvt6lfqt |access-date=2022-04-09 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-03-20 |title=How Barrett Brown went from Anonymous's PR to federal target |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/mar/20/barrett-brown-anonymous-pr-federal-target |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Brown also contacted Stratfor directly, offering to redact sensitive material from the leaked emails.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theintercept.com/2015/01/22/barrett-brown-sentenced-five-years-vows-keep-investigating-government-wrongdoing/ |title=Barrett Brown Sentenced to Five Years, Vows to Keep Investigating Government Wrongdoing}}</ref>

Brown later stated "there was fair criticism of me. It was very obvious to everyone that I wanted to control Anonymous. I absolutely wanted to effectively be the leader of Anonymous."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/krautreporter-stories/barret-brown-612b35784c81 |title=Barrett Brown: “Maybe it is an act of civil disobedience — maybe it is a war”}}</ref>

==Arrest and trial==
On October 3, 2012, a federal grand jury indictment was returned against Brown on charges of threats, conspiracy and retaliation against a federal law enforcement officer. Various tweets, YouTube uploads and comments made by Brown before his arrest were cited as support within the indictment.<ref>{{cite news
 | url=http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/feds-indict-self-proclaimed-anonymous-spokesman-on-retaliation-conspiracy-charges.html
 | title=Feds indict self-proclaimed Anonymous spokesman Barrett Brown on retaliation, conspiracy charges
 | work=Dallas News
 | author=Avi Selk| date=October 4, 2012 | accessdate=October 9, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao/txn/PressRelease/2012/OCT2012/oct4brown_barrett_ind.html |title=Federal Grand Jury Charges Dallas Resident With Making An Internet Threat And Other Felony Offenses |publisher=Justice.gov |date=October 4, 2012 |accessdate=September 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901204849/http://www.justice.gov/usao/txn/PressRelease/2012/OCT2012/oct4brown_barrett_ind.html |archive-date=September 1, 2013 |df=mdy }}</ref> A magistrate denied bail because he was "a danger to the safety of the community and a risk of flight."<ref>{{cite news
 | url=http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/04/u-s-attorneys-office-asks-judge-to-toss-motion-to-intervene-in-the-case-of-detained-hacktivist-barrett-brown.html
 | title=U.S. Attorney's Office asks judge to toss motion to intervene in the case of detained hacktivist Barrett Brown
 | work=Dallas News
 | author=Robert Wilonsky
 | date=April 3, 2013
 | accessdate=October 9, 2013
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605081914/http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/04/u-s-attorneys-office-asks-judge-to-toss-motion-to-intervene-in-the-case-of-detained-hacktivist-barrett-brown.html/
 | archive-date=June 5, 2013
 | url-status=dead
 }}</ref> His legal fund was run by [[Kevin Gallagher]].

As of September 4, 2013, Brown was under a federal court-issued gag order; he and his lawyers were not allowed to discuss his case with the media, lest it taint a jury.<ref name="By Fruzsina Eördögh">{{cite web |author=Fruzsina Eördögh |url=http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-us-government-just-upheld-barrett-browns-gag-order |title=The US Government Just Upheld Barrett Brown's Gag Order |publisher=Motherboard.vice.com |accessdate=September 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905022436/http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-us-government-just-upheld-barrett-browns-gag-order |archive-date=September 5, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Robert Wilonsky|url=http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/09/hours-before-judge-hears-governments-case-to-slap-gag-on-jailed-hacktivist-barrett-brown-his-attorneys-strongly-object.html/ |title=Hours before judge hears government's case to slap gag on jailed hacktivist Barrett Brown, his attorneys strongly object |publisher=Dallas News |date=May 1, 2013 |accessdate=September 6, 2013}}</ref> The lead prosecutor said that Brown tried to manipulate the media from behind bars for his benefit, that Brown's attorney "coordinates and/or approves of his use of the media," and that most of the publicity about Brown has contained false information and "gross fabrications".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Gag order issued in federal cases against Dallas man tied to hacking group Anonymous|first=Kevin|last=Krause|date=September 4, 2013|work=The Dallas Morning News|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20130904-gag-order-issued-in-federal-cases-against-man-tied-to-hacking-group-anonymous.ece}}</ref>

In 2020, he revealed that he had sent information to FBI Special Agent David Ko, and in 2021 he posted a screenshot of messages with Val Broeksmit discussing Broeksmit's meeting with Ko, in which Brown gave his word not to disclose the information.

In May 2021, he was arrested in east London, having been there since November 2020 to claim asylum. He was arrested for allegedly overstaying his visa and incitement offenses related to holding a protest banner which said: "Kill Cops".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/21/us-journalist-barrett-brown-arrested-incitement |title=US journalist Barrett Brown arrested in the UK on incitement offences |website=The Guardian |date=21 May 2021 }}</ref> UK immigration authorities later denied the application in early 2024, assessing that the evidence did not substantiate a well-founded fear of persecution.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/the-ballad-of-barrett-brown.html |title=The Ballad of Barrett Brown}}</ref> In late 2025, following the asylum denial, Brown left the United Kingdom and relocated to Mexico, citing safety concerns.

==Pursuance Project==
In 2017, Brown launched the Pursuance Project, which aimed to unite transparency activists, investigative journalists, FOIA (US Freedom of Information Act) specialists, and hackivists in a fully encrypted platform. In 2018, Brown raised over $50,000 for Pursuance Project on Kickstarter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Track Barrett Brown's Pursuance Project's Kickstarter campaign on BackerTracker |url=https://www.backerkit.com/projects/85883596/barrett-browns-pursuance-project |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=BackerKit |language=en}}</ref> In February 2020, Brown shut Pursuance Project down, writing that Pursuance would resume work later that year funded via settlements from libel suits.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-12 |title=Der Spiegel is Citing Andy Ngo's Race-Scientist Ex-Editor to Attack Me and I'm Not Even Jewish: As the CEO of Antifa, I Must Object |url=https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/12/so-i-have-to-deal-with-the-germans-now/ |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=CounterPunch.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

In a December 2020 update, Brown said they used the money but that they weren't able to make a prototype. He also discussed his abuse of methamphetamine a year and a half earlier, noting it elevated his work and his ability to wreak havoc on elements of the press and police agencies. He also discussed going to rehab. Brown said that his drug use and time in rehab was one reason Pursuance hadn't been updated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Barrett |date=2020-12-13 |title=Barrett Brown on Pursuance |url=https://barrettbrown.medium.com/barrett-brown-on-pursuance-ae7a2255b11f |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>

==Social media==
Brown's Twitter account, @BarrettBrown_, has been permanently banned from [[Twitter]] four times. The first three bans were overturned and described by Twitter as errors after journalists inquired, but the fourth was not. The fourth and final ban was prompted by Brown tweeting that [[Julian Assange]] should not be on trial but that he would "deserve to die by other, cleaner hands" if he knew of [[Erik Prince]]'s alleged ties to [[Roger Stone]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-31 |title=An Open Letter To Twitter Regarding The Safe Space It's Created for Nazis |url=https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/10/31/an-open-letter-to-twitter-regarding-the-safe-space-its-created-for-nazis/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=CounterPunch.org |language=en-US}}</ref>


==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20251108182345/http://barrettbrown.org/ Barrett Brown]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Barrett}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Bloggers]]
[[Category:Convicted felons]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Authors, Bloggers, Convicted felons, Journalists, Living people