Massachusetts 19-year-old Pleading Guilty to Stealing and Extorting Teacher and Student Private Data

A Massachusetts college student, Matthew Lane, 19, is set to plead guilty to stealing millions of students' and teachers' private data from two U.S. education tech companies and extorting it for ransom, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

According to court records, Lane used stolen login credentials to access the computer network of a software and cloud storage company serving school systems in the U.S. and abroad. The company, which has not been named in the court filings but is confirmed by a source familiar with the case, provides educational services to schools across the globe.

Lane's alleged actions have sent shockwaves through the education sector, with many parents expressing concern over the potential leak of sensitive student information. U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah B. Foley stated that Lane's actions "instilled fear in parents that their kids' information had been leaked into the hands of criminals."

Lane is accused of threatening to release 60 million students' and 10 million teachers' names, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, residential addresses, and medical histories if the company did not pay a ransom of approximately $2.85 million in Bitcoin.

"Matthew Lane apparently thought he found a way to get rich quick, but this 19-year-old now stands accused of hiding behind his keyboard to gain unauthorized access to an education software provider to obtain sensitive data which was used in an attempt to extort millions of dollars," said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.

Lane is also accused of extorting a $200,000 ransom payment from another telecommunications company last spring by threatening to release customer data. He faces counts of cyber extortion conspiracy, cyber extortion, unauthorized access to protected computers, and aggravated identity theft.

A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled for Lane, who is currently facing serious charges that could have significant implications for the education sector and beyond. As one of the youngest individuals to be accused of such a high-profile crime, Lane's actions are seen as a stark reminder of the dangers of cybercrime and the importance of online security.

"This case highlights the devastating impact that cybercrime can have on individuals, families, and communities," said Milka. "We urge everyone to remain vigilant and take proactive steps to protect themselves from these types of threats."