Ex-State Dept. Worker Admits to Star-Studded Passport Snooping

Former State Department administrative assistant Dwayne F. Cross pleaded guilty to unauthorized computer access, revealing his star-studded snooping spree through confidential passport files.

Cross, who served as a contract specialist for the acquisitions office, admitted to logging onto the Passport Information Electronic Records System (PIERS) and accessing over 150 celebrities’ personal details from 2002 to 2007, all out of idle curiosity.

This isn’t the first time such breaches have occurred; another ex-State Department employee, Lawrence C. Yontz, was sentenced for a similar offense in 2008. Now, Cross is poised to face his own sentencing on March 23rd.

The case highlights the potential risks of government data security and underscores the need for stricter controls over sensitive information. The investigation is ongoing and being handled by the State Department Office of Inspector General.