The White House hires cyber privateers to combat pig butchering scams

The last time the US government sanctioned private actors to wage war on its behalf, they sailed wooden ships and carried cannons. Now they carry laptops. On August 12, 2026, the White House issued a presidential memorandum authorizing vetted private companies to conduct offensive cyber operations against transnational criminal organizations, with pig butchering scams squarely in the crosshairs. Private firms, operating under federal supervision from the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, can now actively surveil and disrupt the criminal networks that have been bleeding American victims of billions of dollars annually. How the program works The memorandum builds on an executive order issued in March 2026 that established a National Coordination Center for tackling cyber-enabled transnational criminal organizations, or CE-TCOs. Participating firms must clear a high bar. Each company needs to post a bond of at least $1 million and undergo thorough vetting before being approved for operations. Once cleared, they can conduct cyber surveillance and “effects operations,” meaning they can actively disrupt criminal infrastructure rather than just watch it. Opera...