Springfield Man Admits Hacking Supreme Court Records

A Springfield man has entered a guilty plea to charges related to unauthorized access of computer systems, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s electronic filing system. The case involved multiple instances of hacking and the subsequent dissemination of personal information online.

Supreme Court Hacking

Nicholas Moore, 24, pleaded guilty to fraud in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charges stem from allegations that he repeatedly accessed the Supreme Court’s protected computer systems without authorization during 2023.

According to court documents, Moore used stolen credentials to hack into the Supreme Court’s filing system on 25 separate days between August 29, 2023, and October 22, 2023. He also accessed personal records belonging to the individual whose credentials he used and subsequently posted this information on an Instagram account with the handle “@ihackedthegovernment.”

Accessing Other Computer Systems

Moore also admitted to using stolen credentials to access personal information from AmeriCorps’ computer servers and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran’s account on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ “MyHealtheVet” platform. This occurred between August 17, 2023, and October 14, 2023. Screenshots of the victim’s personal information and the veteran’s private health information were posted on the same Instagram account.

The method of access, the purpose of the access, and the specific types of data involved were not disclosed in court documents.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Moore pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of computer fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of one year. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Rami Sibay for the District of Columbia and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington D.C.

Investigation

The case was investigated by the Supreme Court of the United States Police – Protective Intelligence Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General.