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Far-Out False Claims: Woman Sentenced for Bank Account Lies from Space Station
In a bizarre case, a Kansas woman has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Summer Heather Worden, 51, pleaded guilty on November 14, 2025, and was subsequently sentenced to three months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution.
The investigation revealed that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while they were going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim.
The evidence showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information. The case began in July 2019, when Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station.
However, an investigation by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Office of Inspector General determined that Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also found that Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015.
Worden was permitted to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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