Former Homeland Security Acting Inspector General Pleads Guilty To Data Theft

Former Acting Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security Charles Edwards pleaded guilty on Friday to two federal charges related to stealing software and sensitive data from the government. 

Confirmed by the Department of Justice, Edwards stole confidential proprietary software from the U.S. government following his tenure at the Office of Inspector General from Homeland Security from February 2008 until December 2013. 

Edwards also admitted to stealing data while working at the U.S. Postal Service prior to his tenure at DHS OIG. In his roles at both agencies, he had access to proprietary software systems, some of which contained personal information on federal employees and case management information. 

Following his time at Homeland, Edwards founded his own company, Delta Business Solutions, in Maryland. During 2015 to 2017, he admitted to stealing software from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General as well as sensitive databases within Homeland Security and USPS personnel information. 

Edwards’ motive behind the theft was to develop a commercial version of the case management software used by Homeland Security and other public offices to sell back to government agencies, according to the Justice Department. 

The charges Edwards pleaded guilty to were conspiracy to commit theft of government property and theft of government property in a District Court in Washington, D.C. 

A second defendant, Murali Y. Venkata, was also indicted and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His case is still pending.