# US Government IT Worker Pleads Guilty to Espionage for Ethiopia An IT specialist admitted to leaking Top Secret intelligence documents to Ethiopian officials. - **Source:** [www.theregister.com - Articles (theregister.co.uk)](https://brifing.si/source/e6d4ec13-4d0e-407a-b96d-39609d76c3b1) - **Published:** 2026-11-04 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/2bdfc9fe-45bd-4558-95ad-b9fc883ec933 ## Espionage Charges Confirmed Abraham Teklu Lemma, a 53-year-old naturalized US citizen, pleaded guilty to espionage charges. He admitted to transmitting sensitive national defense information to Ethiopian officials while working as an IT specialist across various US government departments. He now faces a prison term ranging between 120 and 262 months for his actions. ## Accessing Classified Systems Between 2019 and 2023, Lemma held Top Secret clearance while working for the National Reconnaissance Office, State Department, and Justice Department. He possessed downdraft authority, allowing him to move files between classified systems. Prosecutors allege he abused this privilege to access intelligence reports without proper authorization or a need-to-know requirement. ## Bypassing Security Protocols Lemma allegedly downloaded over 100 classified documents and burned them onto discs labeled as unclassified material. He frequently removed these discs from the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility by hiding them in his jacket pockets. Additionally, he was observed taking handwritten notes of classified information while working at his government computer terminal. ## Communication with Foreign Officials Starting in 2022, Lemma used encrypted messaging apps to transmit photographs, maps, and intelligence reports to senior Ethiopian officials. These communications included requests for details regarding military logistics, command centers, and paramilitary groups. He actively encouraged Ethiopian authorities to take aggressive military actions against specific rebel groups during ongoing regional conflicts. ## Financial Irregularities Detected During the period he was leaking information, Lemma made bank deposits exceeding $66,000. On one occasion, he attempted to deposit over $10,000 and was observed acting aggressively toward bank staff to prevent the filing of a mandatory currency transaction report. These financial activities coincided with his ongoing cooperation with foreign intelligence contacts. ## Remote Access Vulnerabilities Beyond physical document theft, Lemma stored copies of classified files on his personal storage drives. Prosecutors claim these drives were accessed remotely by Ethiopian officials multiple times between April and June 2023. This allowed foreign actors to directly retrieve sensitive US national defense information without requiring further input from the defendant. ## FBI Counterintelligence Response The FBI emphasized that the leaked information was utilized by Ethiopian officials in active military operations. Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director at the FBI's Counterintelligence Division, stated that Lemma betrayed his oath to defend the US Constitution. The agency remains focused on identifying and stopping foreign intelligence services from compromising national security interests. ## Broader Security Implications This case highlights the persistent risks posed by insiders with high-level security clearances. The ability of a single IT worker to bypass classification markings and remove data from secure facilities raises questions about internal monitoring protocols. Authorities are now evaluating how these security gaps allowed such extensive data exfiltration to occur undetected. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/11/04/us-gov-it-worker-pleads-guilty-to-sending-top-secret-files-to-ethiopia/5307595 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._