Charlotte Tech Worker Tried to Shake Down Former Employer

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CHARLOTTE, NC – A Charlotte man is facing a long stretch after a federal jury found him guilty of trying to bleed a DC-based tech company for $2.5 million. Cameron Curry, 27, wasn’t hacking from a dark basement – he used data he legally accessed as a former data analyst to hold his old employer hostage.

According to court records from the three-day trial, Curry, disgruntled after learning his contract wasn’t being renewed, decided to leverage what he knew. While employed, he had access to sensitive company and employee data. Prosecutors presented evidence showing that between December 11, 2023, and January 24, 2024, Curry – using the online handle “Loot” – barraged company emails with threats. He promised to unleash a flood of private employee information and corporate secrets unless they coughed up the cryptocurrency.

The emails weren’t subtle. Curry reportedly threatened to publicly report a data breach and leak the stolen data, damaging the company’s reputation. The feds moved in on January 24th, executing a search warrant at Curry’s residence and seizing his electronic devices.

Curry was convicted on six counts of interstate communication with intent to extort. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina hasn’t announced sentencing yet, but the charges carry significant prison time.