FBI Accused of Shielding Chinese Tech Partner in Murders

Washington, DC, US (UPI)
The FBI has officially cleared Chinese tech conglomerate GUI Microsystems of any involvement in death of California employee James Russo. In a report released yesterday afternoon, the top US law enforcement agency stated, “We have thoroughly investigated any and all claims that the death of Mr. Russo was anything other than a suicide and have found them all to be without merit.”

However, that has not stopped the Russo family of continuing their vociferous effort to implicate GUI and its executives in what they claim is murder. “My brother James never had a suicidal thought in his life,” his sister Jennifer asserted in a recent interview on local TV news channel K-LTV. “He loved life and his family and would never do this. But he was determined to do the right thing and tell the world how GUI was sabotaging computer systems around the world. The FBI is only protecting them because of their huge government contracts.” GUI is indeed in the middle of a $4 billion contract to supply technology components to the U.S. government.

James M. Russo, 28, of Sausalito, California, an employee at the Silicon Valley facility of GUI Microsystems, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in his home on July 3rd. Local police initially ruled it a suicide, but the Russo family petitioned the FBI to open an investigation under the its Whistleblower Program. They claim that James had shared with them his intentions to contact the press with evidence of dangerous malware embedded—intentionally—in their widely-used microchips. What’s more, they further allege that this is not the only suspicious death of an employee in which they accuse GUI of responsibility.

Only two months before the death of Russo, another GUI employee, Kiara Bharadwaj, died in an automobile accident on US Route 101 just north of San Francisco. Ruled a single-vehicle accident, the Russos nonetheless assert that it is connected to the death of their brother.

“Our sympathies are with the Russo

family as they mourn their loss, just as we, too, mourn the loss of James, who was a valued part of the GUI family,” stated GUI Community Relations Director, Lynda Chen, in a published statement.

This is not the first time that GUI Microsystems has been embroiled in a morbid controversy. In 2015, 28 people were murdered in a sarin gas attack at the company’s facility in southeastern China. That attack was perpetrated by Tai Jianguo, son of the microchip giant’s CEO, Tai Qiang. Jianguo took his own life before he could be apprehended.

Hacker Group Defends Russo Allegations

In response to the FBI report, infamous international hacker group Angels of K-OS has issued a public warning to GUI on its website. Their statement states cryptically that “We know exactly what GUI is up to and we alone can stop it. The filthy feds can’t protect their [censored] buddies anymore.” The group is both admired in the hacker community for its vigilante justice and reviled by critics for its profane and racially-charged statements and reckless accusations.

When questioned about the Angels of K-OS response, Richard Russo said he has had no contact with the group and has no knowledge of their planned actions. “But if they can help uncover the truth and clear my brother’s good name, I welcome their help,” he added.

With the FBI report, the U.S. government officially considers the matter closed.