Full Breakdown
Accidental Teams Recording Captures Akhter Twins’ Deletion of 96 U.S. Government Databases
5/15/2026, 8:00:06 PM
Termination Meeting and Database Deletion
On February 18, 2025, Opexus, a federal IT contractor, terminated administrators Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter via a Microsoft Teams call. The contractor had learned of the brothers’ earlier prison terms for airline-miles theft and other cyberfraud before the termination. The twins, both previously convicted of cyber-fraud, remained in the meeting after HR left, used their privileged accounts, and erased 96 U.S. government databases within the next hour.
Timeline of Key Events
- Feb 18, 2025, 4:48 p.m. EST – Teams call starts; Sohaib records.
- ~4:51 p.m. – HR exits; recording continues.
- ~5:48 p.m. – Deletion of 96 databases completed.
- April 2026 – Muneeb pleads guilty; later seeks withdrawal.
- May 2026 – Sohaib convicted at trial.
Data & Statistics
- 96 U.S. government databases erased.
- 1 hour of Teams audio recorded the twins’ conversation.
- Recording began at 4:48 p.m. EST and ran for ? 60 minutes after HR left.
Why It Matters: Insider Threat and Security Practices
The incident highlights a failure of account revocation timing and reliance on basic software features for evidence. Companies spend heavily on monitoring tools to detect post-termination misuse, yet the Teams “record” button supplied prosecutors with a verbatim transcript. It also raises questions about the adequacy of security policies for contractors handling sensitive government data.
Official Statements & Responses
Prosecutors’ filing titled “United States’ Response in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Revoke the Detention Order” notes that the HR-initiated Teams call stayed active and recorded the twins’ actions. The document stresses that no external wiretap or informant was used; the evidence came from the defendants’ own device. The transcript formed the cornerstone of the government’s case against the defendants.
Criticism & Opposition
Source commentary describes the Akhters as “bumbling oafs” who even asked an AI chatbot for advice on covering their tracks. Critics say the case exposes a lapse in standard security hygiene, as monitoring solutions failed to detect the privileged-access abuse before the deletions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You can’t make this stuff up, folks.” — Ars Technica author
- “Both brothers are now in federal custody.” — Technology.org article
- “The Akhters come across as a pair of bumbling oafs who, at one point, reportedly asked an AI chatbot how to cover their tracks.” — Technology.org article
What’s Next
Muneeb continues to petition the court to withdraw his guilty plea; federal prosecutors may seek additional insider-threat charges. The case is prompting renewed scrutiny of termination protocols and privileged-account controls in government-contracting firms.
