FBI Pittsburgh's new special agent in charge discusses approach to fighting cyber threats
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - FBI Pittsburgh's new special agent in charge, Kevin Rojek, arrives with 21 years of FBI experience, with a heavy focus on cyber crimes.
He's the new man in charge at Pittsburgh FBI's office on the South Side.
KDKA-TV had the chance to meet Rojek, and he was asked about what he thinks are the top threats against Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities.
"Prior to joining the FBI, I served 11 years as an officer in the United States Army, and I served one tour in Afghanistan immediately following the terrorist attacks of 9/11," Rojek said.
His 21-year-long career in the FBI leans heavily on preventing and solving cyber crimes. Cyber threats are one of the top three threats Rojek identified for this area.
"We've seen actors target our critical infrastructure, local government systems, school districts and businesses right here in Pittsburgh," he said.
Rojek also plans to focus heavily on online crimes against children and the increase in sextortion in the Pittsburgh area.
"They are being recruited. They are being groomed in the privacy of their homes, and this is what parents aren't necessarily aware of. So, this is another education campaign we have. And we're actively going out to schools and communities to make parents and educators aware of these threats," Rojek said.
He also wants the office to fight back against heavy-hitting scammers taking the community member's hard-earned money. Hundreds of scam reports flood the office every month, and Pennsylvania is one of the top 10 states in terms of complaints and money stolen.
"Unfortunately, we have to prioritize the different threats and the different losses, so the individuals who lose the most amount of money become the focus. In many cases, you have to have a threshold of what you can and can't investigate," Rojek explained when asked how the office will allocate resources.
Rojek said he is proud of the work he's seen so far and wants everyone in the area to feel comfortable reporting something to the FBI, whether someone's aware of a crime against a child, or if someone fell victim to a scam.