Ex-congressional IT aide accused of stealing 240 government phones and selling them at pawn shop

A erstwhile legislature IT adjutant is accused of abusing his trusted entree to bargain astir 240 taxpayer-funded cellphones worthy much than $150,000, shipping them to his Maryland location and selling astir of them astatine a pawn shop, national prosecutors say.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Md., was arrested and charged successful a national indictment unsealed successful U.S. District Court, accusing him of stealing astir 240 government-issued cellphones from the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to grounds reviewed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and her office, Southerland worked from astir April 2020 done July 2023 arsenic a strategy head for the House Committee connected Transportation and Infrastructure.

In that role, Southerland was authorized to bid mobile devices for committee staff, prosecutors said, giving him nonstop entree to the interior strategy utilized to procure government-issued phones.

SECOND GEORGIA LAWMAKER ACCUSED OF RIPPING OFF TAXPAYERS WITH PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Federal prosecutors accidental a erstwhile House IT adjutant abused trusted entree to bargain and merchantability 240 authorities cellphones, a strategy uncovered aft 1 instrumentality surfaced online. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

From January 2023 done May 2023, Southerland allegedly utilized that authorization to bid astir 240 caller cellphones and person them shipped straight to his home, contempt the committee having lone astir 80 unit members astatine the time.

Prosecutors accidental Southerland aboriginal sold much than 200 of the phones to a adjacent pawn shop, converting the authorities spot into idiosyncratic cash.

DOJ CHARGES EX-GEORGIA DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER WITH ALLEGEDLY FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINING COVID UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Federal prosecutors accidental a erstwhile House IT adjutant abused trusted entree to bargain and merchantability 240 authorities cellphones to a pawn shop, a strategy uncovered aft 1 instrumentality surfaced online. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

As portion of the alleged scheme, Southerland instructed a pawn store worker to merchantability the devices "in parts," investigators say, a determination designed to bypass the House’s mobile instrumentality absorption software, which allows officials to remotely show and unafraid authorities phones.

The strategy began to unravel erstwhile 1 of the stolen phones was sold intact alternatively than dismantled, according to prosecutors.

WALZ’S LONG-RUNNING FRAUD SCANDAL PUTS HARRIS CAMPAIGN JUDGMENT UNDER SCRUTINY

Federal prosecutors accidental a erstwhile House IT aide's alleged strategy to bargain and merchantability 240 authorities cellphones was uncovered erstwhile a purchaser purchased 1 connected eBay. (iStock)

That instrumentality yet ended up listed connected eBay and was purchased by an uninvolved buyer. When the purchaser powered connected the telephone for the archetypal time, a interaction fig for the House of Representatives Technology Service Desk appeared connected the screen, the DOJ said.

The purchaser called the number, prompting House officials to analyse and observe that aggregate phones ordered nether Southerland’s relationship were unaccounted for, prosecutors said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The lawsuit is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Green for the District of Columbia, with assistance from different national prosecutors.