The first crime in space? Allegations surface Nasa astronaut ‘accessed estranged ex-partner’s bank account from International Space Station’
- Astronaut Anne McClain, who has since returned to Earth, acknowledged she accessed the account while in orbit but has denied any wrongdoing
Nasa is investigating a claim that an astronaut accessed the bank account of her estranged partner while she was living on the International Space Station (ISS).
The case appears to be the first allegation of a crime committed in low Earth orbit, according to The New York Times.
Anne McClain acknowledged she accessed the account while she was on-board the ISS but has denied any wrongdoing. Through a lawyer she has insisted she was shepherding the couple’s still-intertwined finances.
McClain has since returned to Earth after completing her six-month mission.
Her estranged spouse, Summer Worden, is said to have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. According to Worden, her bank account was accessed without her permission from a Nasa-affiliated computer network. A family member also filed a complaint with Nasa’s internal office of inspector general and has accused McClain of identity theft and improper access to Worden’s private financial records, according to the newspaper.
