## Conviction on Federal Charges **Sohaib Akhter** was found guilty of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, password trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to the **Department of Justice**. Akhter's crime spree allegedly began when he provided his twin brother, Muneem, with the password of someone who filed a discrimination complaint with the **Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)**. Muneem also worked at the same company hosting government agencies' data. ## Email Account Compromised The complainant's email account was accessed without their consent, according to a **Department of Justice** press release. This unauthorized access marked the beginning of a more significant attack against the company. ## Termination and Retaliation Shortly after the incident, Akhter's employer discovered his prior felony convictions and terminated both brothers. In retaliation, the government alleges that the brothers “sought to harm their employer and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, write-protecting databases, deleting databases, and destroying evidence of their unlawful activities.” This included the deletion of 96 government databases. Although the employer is unnamed in the indictments, prosecutors stated that it is based in Washington, D.C., and provides software services to more than 45 U.S. federal agencies, including the **EEOC**. ## Sentencing and Prior Convictions Akhter's sentencing is scheduled for September 9, where he faces up to 21 years in prison. He previously pled guilty in 2015 to federal charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization, and conspiracy to access a government computer without authorization, resulting in a two-year prison sentence.