Following the Money

This chart shows the alleged flow of funds from RAKIA, an Emirati investment agency established by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, to its U.S. law firm, Dechert, and to a private intelligence subcontractor, Nick Del Rosso. Court records allege that Del Rosso paid $1 million to Indian hacking company CyberRoot, which worked with another firm, BellTroX, to break into the emails of RAKIA’s former business partner, American-Iranian airline executive Farhad Azima.

Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA)

Working for CyberRoot and BellTroX

Azima is currently suing RAKIA, Dechert and Del Rosso over the intrusion, which he says was carried out so that RAKIA could win a lawsuit against him in Britain. RAKIA recently told a court in London that while it did not “authorise or procure any hacking of Mr. Azima’s data” it would not fight his claim. Dechert and Del Rosso are still contesting Azima’s suit and deny wrongdoing.

Sources: Court filings in the US and Britain