US sentences handed down in case involving sale of secret data for cryptocurrency

A Maryland nuclear engineer and his wife have been sentenced to prison terms for espionage. The U.S. Department of Justice said Минюст США.

According to court documents, 44-year-old Jonathan Toebbe was a Department of the Navy employee. Along with his wife, Diana, in the summer of 2021 he attempted to sell secret data related to the design of military ships powered by nuclear engines.

By email, Toebbe corresponded, as he believed, with a representative of a foreign state. However, the latter turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.

The couple transmitted the data on SD cards, hidden in peanut butter sandwiches, candy wrappers, and a Band-Aid. They planned to receive $100 000 in an unnamed cryptocurrency for the information.

The couple were arrested during an attempt to another transfer of secret information. In February 2022 they pleaded guilty to conspiracy.

On November 9, the court sentenced Jonathan Toebbe to 19 years in prison, and his wife to 21 years in prison.

Earlier in February 2021, two U.S. Navy personnel were charged with selling personal data of more than 9,000 people for $160,000 in bitcoin.

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