He called it transparency—the world called it treason. Julian Assange, the polarizing founder of WikiLeaks, spent more than a decade fighting governments, extradition, and the weight of a digital revolution he helped ignite. Accused of conspiring with former Army analyst Chelsea Manning to steal and publish classified U.S. documents, Assange became one of the most controversial figures of the 21st century—hailed by some as a truth-teller, condemned by others as a reckless hacker.

After years of court battles and asylum drama, his story ended not with a trial but a deal: in 2024, Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony under the Espionage Act and was sentenced to time served—the 62 months he’d already spent behind bars in the U.K.

Hero, hacker, or something in between? You decide.

This is Fugitive Files. Let’s get into it.