US gov IT worker pleads guilty to sending Top Secret files to Ethiopia

Abraham Teklu Lemma, a US government IT worker with Top Secret clearance, has pleaded guilty to espionage for sending classified information to Ethiopian officials. His case highlights how access granted for government work was used to obtain and pass on intelligence without authorisation.

Lemma, 53, worked across several agencies, including the National Reconnaissance Office and the State and Justice departments. Prosecutors say he copied material from at least 133 intelligence reports, removed classification markings and carried discs out of a secure facility; from 2021 or 2022 until August 2023, he also sent documents, photographs, notes and maps through an encrypted messaging app. He has agreed to a prison term of 120 to 262 months.