Dont ComplyThe U.S. Department of Justice said Abraham Teklu Lemma, 53, of Maryland, a former information technology contractor at the National Reconnaissance Office, the State Department and the Justice Department, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transmit national defense information to a foreign government. According to court documents cited by the department, Lemma held a Top Secret clearance and, from 2021 until his arrest in August 2023, conspired with senior Ethiopian officials to pass dozens of classified documents, notes and photographs, some at the TS/SCI level. Prosecutors say he hand-carried handwritten notes out of secure facilities and used his IT administrator access to remove electronic files. Under the plea agreement, he agreed to a prison term of 120 to 262 months if the court accepts it. Sentencing is set for April 14, 2027.
Why it matters
The Justice Department says a contractor with administrator access to classified repositories removed Top Secret information and gave it to a foreign government over more than two years. Lemma has pleaded guilty, and sentencing is scheduled for April 2027.
Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.