Getting fired usually means collecting your stuff and turning in your badge. For Sohaib Akhter and his twin brother Muneeb, it meant launching a 56-minute digital demolition that wiped 96 federal databases containing sensitive government records. A federal jury convicted 34-year-old Sohaib Akhter on May 8, 2026, for his role in what amounts to one of the most destructive insider attacks on U.S. government systems in recent memory.
The Perfect Storm of Access and Anger
Minutes after termination, lingering system access became a weapon of mass deletion.
The destruction began almost immediately after both brothers were fired on February 18, 2025, from their D.C.-based tech company serving over 45 federal agencies. When their employer discovered Sohaib’s undisclosed felony conviction during a remote termination meeting, Muneeb still had active access to systems hosted in Ashburn, Virginia.
He used those precious minutes to write-protect and systematically delete databases containing:
- Department of Homeland Security production data
- FOIA records
- Case management systems
The damage included stealing personal information for roughly 450 individuals from IRS systems and copying 1,805 EEOC files to USB drives.
AI-Assisted Cover-Up Attempt
The brothers turned to artificial intelligence for guidance on erasing digital forensic evidence.
The technical sophistication of their cover-up efforts reveals how modern criminals leverage AI system for cybercrime. Court records show they queried an AI system for instructions on clearing SQL Server and Windows logs—essentially asking ChatGPT’s cousins how to hide their tracks. They destroyed evidence on company laptops and attempted to eliminate forensic traces of their database rampage.
Repeat Offenders in Trusted Positions
Both brothers had previous federal convictions yet somehow regained access to sensitive government systems.
This wasn’t their first rodeo. Both Akhter brothers previously pleaded guilty in 2015 to wire fraud and unauthorized access to State Department systems, with Sohaib serving two years and Muneeb over three. Yet they were somehow rehired for positions requiring security clearances and privileged access to federal databases.
The case raises uncomfortable questions about contractor vetting processes when convicted cybercriminals can slide back into trusted IT roles serving dozens of government agencies. Sohaib faces up to 21 years in prison when sentenced on September 9, 2026, while his brother awaits trial on additional charges including aggravated identity theft.
FDIC-OIG Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain called their actions “a blatant disregard for the security and integrity of federal information systems.” The conviction delivers justice, but the underlying access control failures that enabled 56 minutes of unchecked destruction across critical government infrastructure remain largely unaddressed.
