Ex-US Navy Employee Auctions Personal Data: Business of US Secrets

The former US Navy employee, Marquis Khuper, has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison by the court for illegally accessing and selling personal information of US citizens on the darknet. His wife, Natasha Rene Chok, is also awaiting her sentence for the same crime.

According to court documents, in August 2018, Marquis Hepere opened an online account with a company that maintains a vast personal information database accessible only to commercial and state organizations with a legal need for such information (PII). PII stands for Personal Identifiable Information, which refers to personal information that can identify a specific individual.

Hoper deceived the system by falsely claiming that the seventh fleet, where he served until October 2018, required access to the database to verify the biographies of military personnel. Later, he transferred access to his wife’s account, and together they illegally obtained personal data of 9,000 people, which they sold on the darknet for approximately $160,000 worth of bitcoins.

The investigation revealed that many of the buyers of the stolen data used them for criminal activities. One buyer even created a fake driver’s license and attempted to withdraw money from a victim’s account.

In December 2018, Huper’s account was blocked due to suspicion of fraud. However, he attempted to regain access through an accomplice by offering them $2,500 per month to “rent” a new account. Stringent verification measures foiled his attempt.

In February 2021, Huper and his wife were charged with theft of personal data under aggravating circumstances and conspiracy to commit fraud using electronic means. In March 2023, Huper pleaded guilty.

Chok’s sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.