The mayor’s spokesperson has flatly denied a published report that claims he tried to recruit a hacker to access a digital video file from an online directory.

The article, which was published online by Vice Magazine Tuesday, named Amin Massoudi as the staffer in question. The digital file that was requested is alleged to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine, according to the article.

The article says the magazine acquired “a log of emails” after being approached by the hacker. These emails were allegedly sent between Massoudi and the individual between May 18 and May 31, days after the mayor was accused in the media of smoking crack in a video. At the time, Massoudi was working as an assistant to the mayor’s brother Doug Ford until he started working in the mayor’s office on May 27. The magazine did not reveal the hacker’s identity and did not show a photograph of the physical emails. The online directory that was being accessed has now been taken offline, according to the article.

In a statement sent to CP24 Tuesday night, Massoudi categorically denied the allegations made in the article.

“Having reviewed the contents of the story, I can categorically state that at no time did I engage in any of the activities mentioned therein,” the statement reads. “The entirety of the story is false and everything referenced therein has been fabricated.”

Massoudi goes on say that at no time did he use an email account – City of Toronto or other – “to instruct anyone to hack into anything.”

“I will be requesting that the City of Toronto IT department further investigate this matter to see if my email account has been spoofed, as I have no knowledge of anyone using my email account for this purpose and I have never used it for this purpose myself,” the email continues.