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Federal conviction in the Akhter government-database wiping case

Law Enforcement
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1 unique sources, 1 articles

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A federal jury found Sohaib Akhter guilty in a case over the destruction of dozens of government databases, escalating a cybercrime prosecution tied to a fired federal contractor. Prosecutors said the brothers retaliated after their termination by accessing computers without authorization, deleting databases, and destroying evidence affecting systems used by more than 45 federal agencies. Sohaib Akhter faces sentencing on September 9, 2026, and the case also includes renewed November 2025 charges against him and his twin brother Muneeb Akhter.

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Timeline

  1. 08.05.2026 11:45 1 articles · 19d ago

    Retaliatory access after termination on Feb. 18, 2025

    Untyped Phase

    After the affected government contractor terminated Sohaib Akhter and Muneeb Akhter during an online remote meeting on Feb. 18, 2025, the brothers allegedly sought to harm their former employer and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, write-protecting databases, deleting databases, and destroying evidence tied to their activity. Prosecutors said they also ran commands to prevent others from modifying targeted databases before deletion and wiped company laptops before returning them.

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  2. 08.05.2026 11:45 2 articles · 19d ago

    Federal conviction and renewed charges in the Akhter case

    Legal Policy Action Update

    On May 8, 2026, the Justice Department said Sohaib Akhter was found guilty for conspiring to destroy dozens of government databases after the brothers were accused of wiping roughly 96 government databases affecting data tied to more than 45 federal agencies, including Department of Homeland Security material and Freedom of Information Act records. The same update said Muneeb and Sohaib were again charged in November 2025 with destruction of records, aggravated identity theft, computer fraud, and theft of government information, and that Sohaib Akhter faces sentencing on September 9, 2026.

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