ACCORDING to the DOJ’s press release, the twin brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter—formerly convicted felons from Virginia—were employed as federal contractors after previously facing charges linked to hacking and identity theft. The article notes that in November 2025 they were indicted for conspiring to delete databases used to store U.S. government information, and by December 2025 they were arrested.
It also details alleged acts during their termination process in early 2026, including continuing access to data and the deletion of numerous government databases and files, with one incident occurring while they were in a virtual meeting with HR. In April 2026, Muneeb entered a guilty plea to several counts, while Sohaib faced trial and was convicted in May 2026, with sentencing scheduled for August 2026.
The piece cites Bloomberg News and Mandiant as sources contributing to the narrative of the damage caused, including the destruction of databases and the loss of data related to FOIA matters and other government records. The report questions how the contractors were hired by Opexus and highlights the broader implications for contractor vetting and access controls in the government sector.