Chicago IT Specialist Charged with Cyber Hacking
CHICAGO, Illinois – Edward Soybel, a 34-year-old IT specialist from Chicago, has been arrested and charged with cyber hacking for allegedly damaging the servers of W.W. Grainger Inc., a north suburban company where he formerly worked as a contractor.
According to an indictment returned Tuesday in federal court in Chicago, Soybel intentionally caused damage to Grainger’s automated inventory management program, which operates on-site dispensing machines and has approximately 18,000 customers throughout the United States. The dispensing machines provide customers with secure access to durable products, such as safety equipment.
Soybel had worked as a technical support contractor at Grainger’s facility in Niles until he was terminated in early 2016. The indictment charges Soybel with ten counts of intentionally causing damage to protected computers, one count of attempting to cause damage to protected computers, and one count of attempting to access a protected computer without authorization.
Soybel was arrested Wednesday morning and remains in federal custody. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during a Wednesday afternoon arraignment before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly in Chicago. A status hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. today before Judge Kennelly.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Intentionally causing damage to protected computers and attempting to cause damage are each punishable by up to ten years in prison, while attempting to access a protected computer without authorization is punishable by up to one year. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Eichenseer. The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Defendant: Edward Soybel
Criminal Charges: Ten counts of intentionally causing damage to protected computers, one count of attempting to cause damage to protected computers, and one count of attempting to access a protected computer without authorization
City and State: Chicago, Illinois
Exact Date: July 2016
Sentence or Outcome: Soybel remains in federal custody, pleaded not guilty, and has a status hearing set for 1:30 p.m. today
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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