Think-tank claiming to be Singapore-based used AI profiles to target analysts, intelligence community

[wallybot]

🚩 Think-tank claiming to be Singapore-based used AI profiles to target analysts, intelligence community

 

The Institute of East Asia Strategic Studies (IEASS) had approached individuals in Singapore and Taiwan, among other places

 

READ: https://asia1.news/4yyI8AX

 

Follow @AsiaOnecom for all the latest updates.

 

Full Details: IEASS Fake Think-Tank Using AI Profiles

 

Source: The Straits Times / AsiaOne, published July 16–17, 2026

 

 

 

🔍 What is IEASS?

 

The Institute of East Asia Strategic Studies (IEASS) claimed on its website to be founded in Singapore in 2019, with an office at Millenia Walk, and published reports on Asian security, cross-strait relations, and geopolitics. However:

 

- No official registration: No record found with Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or any official bodies

- No physical presence: No office found at the listed address

- Invalid contact details: Its general enquiry email was non-functional

 

 

 

🎯 Targets & Approach

 

- Approached analysts, researchers, and intelligence/security professionals in Singapore, Taiwan, Western countries, and other regions via LinkedIn and email, seeking consultations, interviews, or research collaboration to extract information

- First flagged publicly June 30, 2026 by Bill Hayton, associate fellow at UK think-tank Chatham House, who asked if anyone could verify IEASS’s legitimacy

 

 

 

🤖 Fake & AI-Generated Profiles

 

Of 12 people listed as staff/experts on IEASS’s website:

 

- Only 3 had public LinkedIn profiles, all created recently (Dec 2023 – March 2026)

- Travis Walker & Viga Oborski: Profile pictures showed tell-tale AI flaws (distorted glasses, ear details, unnatural textures); facial recognition found no matches anywhere online 

- Chen Qiang (listed Editor): Claimed Lingnan University and MDIS alumni; both institutions confirmed no such records; said he held the role since 2018 but his account was created in late 2023 

- All other listed individuals could not be verified in public or professional databases

 

 

 

📄 Job Posting Clues

 

Earlier listings sought:

 

- Geopolitical Consultant and Recruitment Specialist – tasked with reaching scholars/analysts on LinkedIn

- Focus areas heavily skewed toward Taiwan-related research

- These posts were later deleted and replaced with a generic “Research Contributor” listing

 

 

 

⚠️ Suspicions & Status

 

Analysts have raised concerns IEASS may be a front entity for information gathering, though no official attribution has been made yet. Singapore authorities have not issued an official statement at time of reporting.

 

Full article: https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/think-tank-institute-of-east-asia-strategic-studies-fake-profiles

[Satki]

MOSSAD?

 

Or CIA?

 

 

[Huat Zai]

2 hours ago, Satki said:

MOSSAD?

 

Or CIA?

 

 

CIA have official 'observers' in our ranks, MOSSAD gets intel hand outs from them. Something this loud can only be the commies. 

[Satki]

Possible

 

But I am more concerned that it is not one faction

 

sometimes this is done so we think the others are a lesser evil

 

I always see people portray WP as the evil that will bring down the empire

 

But I can see the erosion is within the MIW. My conclusion. NEVER EVER trust a politician. No good come out from them

 

If politicians dont enrich themselves I will be amazed. Show me a poor one and I will change my mind!

 

 

[Huat Zai]

10 hours ago, Satki said:

Possible

 

But I am more concerned that it is not one faction

 

sometimes this is done so we think the others are a lesser evil

 

I always see people portray WP as the evil that will bring down the empire

 

But I can see the erosion is within the MIW. My conclusion. NEVER EVER trust a politician. No good come out from them

 

If politicians dont enrich themselves I will be amazed. Show me a poor one and I will change my mind!