Destroying Government Databases Leads To Indictment For Alexandria Brothers

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Two federal contractors from Alexandria were indicted in November as prosecutors say they destroyed federal government databases and stole IRS information of 450 people.

Prosecutors say brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, 34, of Alexandria, sought to harm the federal contractor and its federal government clients after they were fired. Their alleged actions included accessing computers without authorization, deleting databases, issuing commands to stop others from modifying the databases before their deletion, stealing information, and destroying evidence of their actions.

"These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies’ ability to serve the American people."

Prosecutors say Muneeb Akhter deleted about 96 databases that stored U.S. government information on or around Feb. 18. Many databases had contained records and documents associated with Freedom of Information Act information and sensitive investigative files. Court documents say Muneeb Akhter asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs one minute after deleting a Department of Homeland Security database.

According to prosecutors, Muneeb Akhter also obtained information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without permission after being fired by the federal contractor. He was accused of stealing federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 people from IRS records stored on a virtual machine.

The indictment accuses Sohaib Akhter of password trafficking to access a computer used by and for the federal government.

According to the indictment, the brothers discussed cleaning out their house in case of a law enforcement search. The men's company laptops were wiped before they returned them to the federal contractor.

Muneeb Akhter was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records, two counts of computer fraud, theft of U.S. government records, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sohaib Akhter was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud (password trafficking). With a conviction, Muneeb Akhter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count and up to 45 years in prison for remaining charges. If convicted, Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison.