Ex-VA employee accused of attempting to sell personal data

A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs database manager from Benton has been indicted on charges alleging he tried to sell the personal information of veterans and VA employees.

U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland on Thursday announced the unsealing of a Jan. 9 indictment against Phillip Hill, 32, who is charged with attempted trafficking of access devices, aggravated identity theft and possession of device-making equipment. Hill was arrested Dec. 18 on a criminal complaint, and was released on bond Thursday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Volpe.

According to Hiland, an investigation revealed that Hill offered to sell the personal data of veterans, their dependents and VA employees for $100,000 to a confidential source working with law enforcement officials.

After Hill was fired by the VA on Dec. 6, he said he could still access the information remotely with a VA computer he had or by stealing a VA server, Hiland said. A news release said Hill was arrested outside a secure area where the data he was offering for sale was housed, and officers later found a VA computer in his home.

Hiland said officers arrested Hill before he could sell the data, and investigators also discovered that he had used the personal information of another person and illegally possessed blank identification cards.

Hill faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted of trafficking in Social Security numbers, which is the crime encapsulated in the first charge. The identity-theft charge is punishable by up to two years in prison and the penalty for possessing device-making equipment is up to 15 years. Each offense is also punishable by fines of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the department’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Ali Ahmad and Hunter Bridges.