A former House systems administrator, Christopher Southerland, was arrested and federally indicted after prosecutors say he stole more than $150,000 in government-issued cellphones. Authorities allege he ordered 240 extra devices to his home and sold most to a pawn shop, instructing staff to dismantle them to avoid detection. The scheme was exposed when an eBay buyer called a preloaded number on a sold phone, connecting to Congress tech support and triggering an FBI and U.S. Capitol Police probe. An indictment has been filed; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
eBay Call Unravels $150K Theft by Former House IT Worker
Brickbat: A Game of Telephone
A former U.S. House of Representatives systems administrator has been arrested and federally indicted after prosecutors say he stole more than $150,000 in government-issued cellphones while working for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Authorities allege Christopher Southerland ordered 240 extra mobile devices to be delivered to his home and then sold most of them to a pawn shop. Prosecutors also say he instructed a pawn shop employee to dismantle the phones into parts to avoid detection.
How the Scheme Was Discovered
The alleged theft came to light when Southerland sold a handset on eBay. The buyer dialed a preloaded number on the phone that connected to Congress' tech support desk, prompting inquiries that led to a joint investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Investigation and Legal Status
Prosecutors have charged Southerland in federal court. An arrest and indictment have been reported, and the matter remains in the legal system; an indictment is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Key Detail: A single phone call to a preloaded support number ultimately triggered the discovery of an alleged multi-thousand-dollar theft.
The case highlights how small oversights in device management and oversight can expose larger internal theft schemes. Officials have not publicly detailed any additional internal reforms but the investigation underscores the role of cross-agency cooperation in uncovering alleged corruption.
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