GK Sierra
 | |
| Closed Corporation | |
| Industry | Private military company, Private intelligence agency |
| Predecessor | Genoa-Knowlton, Inc.[1] |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | James Odd, Allen Richards, Louis Van Epstein |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC, Portland, OR, U.S.[2] |
Area served | World wide |
| Website | http://gksierra.com |
GK SIERRA is a private intelligence company founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of Genoa-Knowlton, Inc.[1][2] Originally, GK Sierra provided cryptographic technology products to the United States government, but began providing investigation and intelligence services in 2009. GK Sierra is a current Central Intelligence Agency contractor, providing intelligence collection domestically and internationally.[2]
Controversy
In 2011 the Russian business magazine, RBC levied accusations that GK Sierra was a front company for the Israeli Intelligence Service Mossad. The accusations stem from the confirmed employment of former high-level Mossad agents by the company.[3] The company also has a field office located in Tel-Aviv and has been seen operating in Palestinian controlled territory. GK Sierra categorically denies any direct connection to the Israeli government, but does not deny employing former Mossad agents.[3]
Paramilitary involvement
According to a recent study on private intelligence companies, GK Sierra has a "security directorate" division which provides "direct action" security services across the globe.[4] GK Sierra operators have been reported in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Belarus, Russia, and Somalia. James Niles, a security industry expert and watchdog, has identified GK Sierra as a "new-breed of security contractor that relies on secrecy and obfuscation to shield its operations from public scrutiny. The idea is that the public would not know to ask about them, and governments that employ them can deny using them.[4]"
Counter-cyberAttack operations
A recent study[4] detailing the results of a congressional intelligence committee investigation, revealed GK Sierra operatives conducted a Counter-Cyber attack on a crime syndicate located in Minsk, Belarus.[3] An unidentified senior employee testified: “We flew to Minsk, studied the culprits for a week, and then using some clever electrical work, we managed to overload their networking and computer equipment destroying their ability to conduct these attacks. It will take quite a bit of time for them to recover from that counter attack. We also managed to develop some sources while we were there, so we can keep tabs on their activities.[4]”
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Company History". GK Sierra. 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Business Profile Data". SBA.gov. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Кинес Кизиитов (2010-09-23). "Israeli 'spies'". RBC Russia (RBC Russia). Retrieved 2011-09-09.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 James Niles, Scott Kirchner (2011-05-10). "The Secret Intelligence Economy". BURKLEY RESEARCH PRESS. pp. 121–189. ISBN 978-1-105-05216-3.