Hacker in Hiding: Digital Desperado Who Claims to Have Worked for the FBI Is Now Being Sought by the Agency

John Johnson profiles Justin Tanner Petersen, known as “Agent Steal,” after he fled while awaiting sentencing. The article explores Petersen’s claimed work as an FBI informant and the competitive, interconnected Southern California hacker community.

The report discusses Kevin Mitnick, Kevin Poulsen, and other figures in that scene. Lewis De Payne is quoted regarding Mitnick’s situation, making the article a direct contemporary source for De Payne’s continuing relationship with him.