Wiping 96 US government databases after being fired may cost ex-hackers two decades in prison
Sohaib Akhter, together with his twin brother Muneeb, deleted nearly 100 US government databases after being fired from a government contractor.
Image by Cybernews.
Sohaib Akhter, together with his twin brother Muneeb, deleted nearly 100 US government databases after being fired from a government contractor. A federal jury deemed Sohaib, who had previous convictions, guilty, which may send the Virginia man up to 21 years behind bars.
- Twin brothers deleted 96 US government databases within hours of being fired from their contractor positions in 2025.
- Sohaib Akhter faces up to 21 years in prison after conviction for unauthorized database deletion and credential theft.
- The brothers had collected 5,400 stolen credentials and used AI tools to cover their tracks during data destruction.
- Both twins were previously convicted in 2015 for hacking and stealing thousands of credit cards.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter were arrested in early December 2025 for abusing their roles as federal contractors to delete almost 96 databases storing government information. Last week, Sohaib was convicted.
“As proven at trial, Akhter participated in the unauthorized access of protected computer systems, the theft of credentials, and the destruction of government data affecting numerous federal agencies,” said Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain of FDIC-OIG.
As we wrote previously, twin brothers worked for a firm that handled government records and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Interestingly, it is not the first time the duo has faced a hacking conviction.
In 2015, the brothers pleaded guilty to a wire fraud scheme, with Muneeb sentenced to 3 years in prison and Sohaib to 2. According to prosecutors, the twins had hacked a cosmetics company, stolen thousands of credit card numbers, and used their access to book flights and hotels.
Muneeb also resold the stolen information on the dark web. They additionally accessed confidential passport and visa data, including information on a federal investigator examining their case.
Hoarding troves of credentials
After the brothers’ arrest in 2025, Opexus, the government contractor that employed the Akhters, said the “incident made clear that our screening protocols needed to be even more robust.”
According to court records, the company “provided software products and services to more than 45 federal government agencies and hosted data for some federal government clients.”
Problems for the brothers began in early 2025 after Muneeb asked Sohaib for the plaintext password of an individual who had submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Public Portal, which was maintained by the Akhters’ employer.
Sohaib found the person's credentials and sent them to Muneeb, who used this information to access the individual's email account without authorization.
Investigators learned that the brothers had been collecting usernames and passwords from their employers’ networks. At the time of their arrest, the duo had 5,400 credentials, which were later used to use airline miles and book hotels.
“They’re gonna probably raid this place”
Court documents reveal that their employer learned about Sohaib’s 2015 felony charge, which prompted the company to fire the twins. Six minutes after they were fired, the twins started deleting multiple databases, “destroying evidence of their unlawful activities.”
They spent several hours deleting 96 databases that stored US government information, hosted by their employer.
Muneeb has also downloaded over 1,800 files belonging to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and stored them on a USB drive. He also took federal tax info from several hundred people.
Has your password leaked?
The duo was fully aware they were committing a crime, as their correspondence revealed in the court document.
“They’re gonna probably raid this place,” Sohaib said, prompting his brother to reply with, “I’ll
clean this shit up.”
Apparently, AI tools also played a part in helping the brothers to destroy government data, as Mundeeb queried an unnamed AI tool with “How do I clear system logs from SQL servers after deleting databases,” and “How do you clear all event and application logs from Microsoft Windows server 2012.”
The conversation on this topic is live. Join in the discussion.
The operation lasted from 4:55 p.m. until after 11:00 p.m. on the same day.
Authorities raided Sohaib’s residence three weeks later. To make matters worse, police uncovered ammunition at Sohaib’s residence. Days after the search, Sohaib took steps to sell seven firearms, while, as a convicted felon, he could not legally possess any.
Sohaib is scheduled to be sentenced in early September with a maximum penalty of 21 years in prison. Meanwhile, his brother entered a plea deal and is awaiting sentencing.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.