Summer Worden pleaded guilty to making false statements after accusing astronaut Anne McClain of accessing her bank account from the International Space Station. Investigators found Worden opened the account in April 2018, shared access with McClain for years, and changed the credentials in January 2019, undermining the July 2019 claim. The allegation triggered inquiries by the FTC and NASA's Office of Inspector General. Worden faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine; sentencing is set for February 12, 2026.
Estranged spouse pleads guilty after falsely alleging NASA astronaut committed a 'crime in space'
Summer Worden pleaded guilty to making false statements after accusing astronaut Anne McClain of accessing her bank account from the International Space Station. Investigators found Worden opened the account in April 2018, shared access with McClain for years, and changed the credentials in January 2019, undermining the July 2019 claim. The allegation triggered inquiries by the FTC and NASA's Office of Inspector General. Worden faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine; sentencing is set for February 12, 2026.
07:10 AM, 11/20/2025Science
Summer Heather Worden has pleaded guilty to making false statements to federal investigators after accusing her then-spouse, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station. Prosecutors say the allegation — widely reported at the time as possibly the first crime committed from space — was contradicted by bank records and other evidence uncovered during the investigation.
What prosecutors found
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, Worden alleged in July 2019 that McClain had guessed a password and accessed her account while aboard the space station. The probe determined Worden had opened the account in April 2018 and that both parties had accessed the account until Worden changed the credentials in January 2019. Investigators also found Worden had granted McClain access to banking records, including login information, dating back at least to 2015.
The office noted those findings undercut the original claim that account access occurred from space.
Consequences and background
Worden faces up to five years in federal prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000. She is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2026, and has been allowed to remain on bond until that hearing.
Media reports describe Worden as a decorated Air Force intelligence officer. Anne McClain, a West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran who joined NASA in 2013, returned to the International Space Station to serve as commander on NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission.
Broader impact
The 2019 allegation prompted inquiries from the Federal Trade Commission and NASA's Office of Inspector General. The case highlights the challenges investigators face when allegations intersect with high-profile missions and emerging questions about conduct related to spaceflight operations.