US preparing criminal charges over Iranian hack targeting Trump campaign

Move by justice department result of FBI investigation over foreign bid to shape outcome of November election

The US justice department is preparing criminal charges in connection with an Iranian hack that targeted Donald Trump's presidential campaign in a bid to shape the outcome of the November election, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear when the charges might be announced or whom precisely they will target, but they are the result of an FBI investigation into an intrusion that investigators across multiple agencies quickly linked to an Iranian effort to influence American politics.