Teen Tech Star Edward Coristine Quits U.S. Government Amid Hacker Ties and Internal Shakeups
Edward Coristine, just 19 years old, has officially resigned from his high-profile role in the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency—more widely known as Doge—a decision confirmed by a White House official on Tuesday. His departure comes only a month after the controversial exit of his former boss, Elon Musk.
The White House didn’t release further details, and Coristine hasn’t responded to questions about his sudden exit.
Before joining Doge, Coristine was part of Neuralink, Elon Musk’s neurotechnology startup. When Musk took charge of the newly created Doge agency—a brainchild of the Trump administration aimed at slashing bureaucratic bloat—Coristine followed him into government service. Since its launch, Doge had been notorious for aggressive staff cuts and data overhauls in nearly every federal agency. But now, cracks are starting to show in its own foundation. Steve Davis, a close Musk ally who handled Doge’s daily operations, has also resigned, along with several other top staffers.
Despite the internal fallout, the White House insists Doge's mission is still alive.
Coristine became somewhat of an internet phenomenon, thanks in part to his online alias "Big Balls"—a nickname that spread like wildfire as he gained attention for his role in disrupting traditional government systems. He became a symbol of Doge’s tech-first, no-apologies approach, but the spotlight also drew scrutiny.
Just last month, reports surfaced that Coristine had played a central role in pushing artificial intelligence across multiple government departments. But a deeper dive by outlets like Wired and Reuters uncovered disturbing details about his past. He had once been active in hacker forums, and was allegedly fired from a previous job due to a data leak.
Even more concerning, Reuters reported in March that Coristine had provided tech assistance to a cybercriminal group, one that had stolen sensitive data and even targeted an FBI agent.
Coristine's journey into the tech world started while he was still in high school. Around 2022, he launched a company called DiamondCDN, which offered network services. But records show that his platform was used by a cybercrime gang known as "EGodly." According to DomainTools and Any.Run, DiamondCDN’s infrastructure was directly connected to EGodly’s website, dataleak.fun, between October 2022 and June 2023. Users accessing the site were often met with a DiamondCDN “security check,” linking Coristine’s company to the illicit platform.
EGodly wasn’t shy about its crimes. In 2023, the group boasted on Telegram about stealing cryptocurrency, hacking into law enforcement emails in Latin America and Eastern Europe, and hijacking phone numbers. Their boldest move? Targeting a U.S. FBI agent.
The gang leaked the agent’s personal information, photos of his home, and even released an audio recording of an obscene prank call made to him. They followed that with a chilling drive-by video shot outside his home in Wilmington, Delaware, in which someone yelled from a car window:
“EGodly says you’re a bitch!”
Though Reuters couldn’t verify all of EGodly’s claims, the video was confirmed authentic by comparing it to the actual location.
The FBI agent, now retired, spoke briefly to Reuters, calling the group “dangerous” and known for swatting—a criminal tactic involving fake emergency calls that send armed police to innocent people’s homes. Due to ongoing threats, the agent’s identity is being withheld.
“These are bad folks,” he said. “They’re not a pleasant group.”
With Coristine's exit, the Doge program faces a critical turning point. The mission may continue, but its most controversial young voice has stepped away—leaving behind a trail of memes, headlines, and serious questions.
Discription:
"Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old tech talent and former Neuralink employee, has resigned from the U.S. government’s Doge agency amid rising controversy over his alleged ties to hackers and cybercriminal groups like EGodly. Here’s the full story."