BREAKING: FBI Warns Alleged ‘Proud Boys’ E-Mails Threatening Democratic Voters to Vote Trump Actually Came From Iran

The Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, issued a major election security alert on Wednesday, announcing that the FBI has concluded a recent spate of threatening emails sent to Democratic voters — purportedly from the Proud Boys far right group — actually originated from Iran.

“We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President Trump,” Ratcliffe said, in a public announcement from the FBI headquarters.

“We ask every American to do their part to defend against those who wish us harm, the way you do that is simple,” Ratcliffe said, in a public announcement from the FBI headquarters. “You may have seen some reporting on this in the last 24 hours or you may have even been one of the recipients of one of those emails. Additionally, Iran is distributing other content to include a video that implies that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots, even from overseas. This video and any claims about such allegedly fraudulent ballots are not true.”

“We ask every American to do their part to defend against those who wish us harm, the way you do that is simple,” Ratcliffe added. “Do not allow these efforts to have their intended effect. If you receive an intimidating or manipulative email in your inbox, don’t be alarmed and do not spread it. This is not a partisan issue.”

As the Washington Post reports, some registered Democratic voters in Florida as well as Alaska and Pennsylvania began to receive threatening emails on Tuesday. “You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” warned the emails, that claimed to be from the anti-Semitic Proud Boys group. The FBI’s conclusion is that these emails were spoofed and exploited an opening in their email platform to allow hackers from Iran to make it look like they came from the far right extremists group.