Jailed 'peace talks hacker' transferred to bunker 'for security reasons'

Jailed hacker Andres Fernando Sepulveda was transferred to a bunker of Colombia’s Prosecutor General’s Office from his prison cell over matters of security, Colombian media reported on Wednesday.

Sepulveda had been incarcerated in a special unit at Bogota’s La Picota prison since June 12; however, according to his lawyers, death threats had been made against him, despite his isolation from other inmates, according to Bogota’s Blu Radio.

The transfer of the hacker was ordered by deputy Prosecutor General Jorge Fernando Perdomo in order to ensure that Sepulveda was safe and ready to appear before interrogations and interviews for his alleged spying on Colombia’s peace talks with the rebel group the FARC.

According to Colombia’s Radio Santa Fe, the Prosector General’s Office has not issued any official statement as to why the hacker was transferred in the middle of the night, only that it was “for security reasons.”

In May, Sepulveda’s family were also the target of death threats a few weeks after his arrest.

MORE: Death threats issued against family of Colombia peace talks hacker

Sepulveda was arrested in Bogota on May 5 for allegedly spying on the peace talks while on the payroll of former presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.

A video was released depicting Zuluaga and Sepulveda discussing classified intelligence regarding the Colombian government’s peace process with the FARC, which Zuluaga’s lawyer declared was an edited forgery.

MORE: Zuluaga’s lawyer insists wiretapping video was ‘manipulated and edited’

In addition to being accused of spying on the peace talks, Sepulveda is also charged with hacking into Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’ social media accounts, and with using malicious software to sabotage his re-election campaign.

MORE: New charges brought against Zuluaga ‘peace talks hacker’

Sources

Jailed ‘peace talks hacker’ transferred to bunker ‘for security reasons’

Sources