San Antonio is known for many things, including its river walk, rich history, and vibrant culture, but recent claims against Chris Hannifin and DefendIT Services have overshadowed the city’s idyllic reputation. Chris Hannifin, a cybersecurity expert, has weaponized his knowledge, military training, and corporate background alongside sensitive information he obtained during stints at places like RSM, USAA, SiloTech Group, and North South Consulting Group (NSCG). With all of this, he then launched DefendIT Services in 2024. Since then, evidence as reported by news outlets like the International Business Times and Tech Bullion points towards the notion that the San Antonio based Company is nothing but a clumsily constructed front designed by Chris Hannifin to mask the illicit sale of sensitive corporate and government information to competitors and hostile foreign nations.

From the start, DefendIT Services has raised eyebrows, as the company’s establishment suspiciously coincided with Hannifin’s sudden extravagant spending. These gaudy purchases included at least one speedboat, a high-end trailer, and a house totaling over one million. Not only was his speedy, self-indulgent shopping spree a sudden instance, it was also out of character. These were entirely new purchases, likened to a man who just hit the jackpot. This leaves us questioning; where did he get this money? Generally, when such affluence arises in this manner, under shrouded circumstances, all roads point to espionage.

Further adding to the questionable circumstances of the incorporation of DefendIT Services, are the allegations surrounding Hannifin’s short period working at NSCG. Insider accounts and public documents show that the CEO, Krista Stevens, supported Hannifin’s venture by acting as the registrar agent. We question why Stevens cooperated with something she does not personally support, and the inquiry only unveils more deception stemming from Hannifin. At this point, NSCG was a Company cascading into widespread internal chaos, with Hannifin at the center of it all. Rumors circulating around the same time claim that Hannifin was selling NSCG’s proprietary data, detailed his verbal abuse and poor behavior around the office, and his active blackmailing of Stevens. This would explain Steven’s cooperation with Hannifin as duress.

To add fuel to the fire, former colleagues of Hannifin at RSM claim that Hannifin created a kickback scheme with a high-level executive to poach clients. Hannifin’s malicious nature and clear disregard for ethical boundaries, and regulatory compliance, coupled with a history of blackmailing others has scared and deterred many individuals from speaking out.

The secrecy around Hannifin’s covert trip to Mexico, with known associate, Rudy Reyes, along with the information provided by insider informants at both RSM and NSCG, has only intensified the fears that DefendIT Services was born out of coercion, cover-ups, and connections to foreign intelligence operations.