Edward Coristine, a well-known employee of the US government’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge), has resigned from his position. This news comes a month after the departure of his former boss, Elon Musk. The White House official who announced Coristine’s resignation provided no further details, and Coristine did not respond to a comment request.
Coristine, who is 19 years old, previously worked for Musk’s brain connectivity company, Neuralink, before joining the tech billionaire at Doge, which was founded by the Trump administration earlier this year. Doge has implemented job cuts at almost every federal agency, but it is now facing losses of its own. Steve Davis, a key Musk lieutenant and the person in charge of Doge’s day-to-day operations, has also left the company, along with other employees.
Despite Coristine’s departure, the White House stated that Doge’s mission will continue. Coristine’s youth and online nickname, “Big Balls,” gained popularity as Doge took over the US government, seizing data and firing employees in large numbers.
Last month, Reuters reported that Coristine was one of two Doge associates who promoted the use of artificial intelligence within the federal bureaucracy. Wired first reported his departure. Coristine had been active in a chat room popular with hackers and had previously been fired from a job due to an alleged data leak.
In March, Reuters reported that Coristine provided technical support to a cybercrime gang that bragged about dealing in stolen data and harassing an FBI agent. The reports also state that while still in high school, Coristine ran a company called DiamondCDN, which provided network services. Among its users were cybercriminals operating under the name “EGodly.”
Digital records reviewed by Reuters showed that the EGodly website, dataleak.fun, was connected to internet protocol addresses registered to DiamondCDN and other Coristine-owned entities between October 2022 and June 2023. Users attempting to access the site during this time would encounter a “security check” from DiamondCDN.
In 2023, EGodly boasted about various cybercriminal activities, including phone number hijacking, breaking into law enforcement email accounts in Latin America and Eastern Europe, and cryptocurrency theft. However, Reuters was unable to independently verify these claims. The group also distributed the personal details of an FBI agent, including their phone number, photographs of their house, and other private information.
EGodly posted an audio recording of an obscene prank call made to the agent’s phone and a video taken from inside a car, showing an unknown party driving by the agent’s house in Wilmington, Delaware, at night and shouting “EGodly says you’re a bitch!” through the window. Reuters verified the video by visiting the same Wilmington address and comparing it to the footage.
The FBI agent targeted by EGodly, who is now retired, stated that the group had drawn law enforcement attention due to their connection to swatting, a dangerous practice involving hoax emergency calls resulting in armed officers being sent to targeted addresses. The agent did not provide further details. Reuters is not disclosing the agent’s identity to prevent further harassment.
These events highlight the controversial activities surrounding Doge and the individuals associated with it, including Edward Coristine.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/24/doge-big-balls-edward-coristine-resigns
