A federal jury convicted Sohaib Akhter on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud and password trafficking. DOJ alleges Akhter provided a plaintext password used to access an EEOC complainant’s email without authorization.

A federal jury convicted Sohaib Akhter in a case DOJ described as involving credential theft and unauthorized access to sensitive accounts. According to DOJ, the conviction covered conspiracy to commit computer fraud, password trafficking, and related charges. DOJ alleges Akhter provided a plaintext password that was later used to access an EEOC complainant’s email without authorization. Prosecutors characterize the activity as credential misuse enabling unauthorized viewing of communications tied to a governmental employment dispute process. The DOJ press release also describes the broader pattern of conduct beyond the initial account access. Prosecutors claim that after the individuals involved were fired, the defendants accessed systems and deleted dozens of government-hosted databases. That allegation—paired with the password trafficking conduct—supports DOJ’s position that the case involves cyber-enabled unauthorized access and data destruction. From a scam/fraud perspective, the EEOC email access element reflects how stolen or improperly obtained credentials can be used to compromise people who are already engaged in legal or administrative processes. The use of plaintext passwords underscores a common technical failure that can turn a “small” credential compromise into a high-impact privacy breach. The jury’s decision means the court will move to sentencing after the conviction on the federal charges described in DOJ’s release.