Washington, D.C. — A 24-year-old man from Tennessee entered a guilty plea Thursday in federal court for a string of unauthorized cyber intrusions into multiple U.S. government computer systems.
Nicholas Moore of Springfield admitted he used stolen login credentials to access sensitive systems, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s electronic filing platform, AmeriCorps servers, and a Veterans Affairs health portal. His actions drew widespread concern from cybersecurity experts and federal officials.
🔍 Repeated Breaches of Federal Systems
According to court records, Moore accessed the Supreme Court’s online filing system 25 separate times in 2023, all without proper authorization. Using credentials taken from a legitimate user, he viewed private filing data and then posted screenshots on Instagram from an account called @ihackedthegovernment.
In addition to the Supreme Court, Moore acknowledged penetrating:
- AmeriCorps’ digital servers, where he obtained another user’s personal data,
- The Department of Veterans Affairs’ MyHealtheVet platform, accessing sensitive health information of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
These posts drew attention not only for the privacy violations but also for exposing weaknesses in systems meant to safeguard important federal information.
⚖️ Charges and Upcoming Sentence
Moore pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count of computer fraud in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. He could face up to one year in prison and significant fines when he is sentenced by Judge Beryl Howell on April 17.
Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized the seriousness of unauthorized access to federal networks and the growing challenges posed by cyber incidents targeting even the highest levels of government.
