North Carolina man convicted for attempted $2.5 million extortion targeting former Washington, D.C.-area employer’s data

Federal case centers on alleged threats to publish employee data and financial records

A North Carolina man was convicted in a federal extortion case involving a demand for $2.5 million from a Washington, D.C.-area company after authorities said he obtained sensitive internal information and threatened to release it publicly.

The case describes a sequence of events that began after the defendant, Cameron Curry, worked as a contract employee for the company and was informed on Dec. 5, 2023 that his last day of employment would be Dec. 15, 2023. Prosecutors said that days later, the company and its employees began receiving a stream of threatening messages tied to a demand for millions of dollars.

What authorities said happened

Investigators said Curry used the pseudonym “Loot” to send emails threatening to publish sensitive company information unless the company paid $2.5 million. The threatened material included financial records and personally identifiable information connected to employees.

Authorities said the messages escalated over time and included a warning that the amount demanded would increase if the company did not pay promptly. Federal prosecutors said more than 60 threatening emails were sent between Dec. 11, 2023 and Jan. 23, 2024.

“If you wish to reclaim your data, we recommend doing so promptly at 2.5 million USD …”

How investigators linked the messages to a suspect

Federal authorities said they identified the sender through multiple forms of technical and financial evidence, including metadata associated with communications, user information connected to the email account used to send the threats, and details linked to a cryptocurrency wallet referenced as the destination for a payment.

On Jan. 24, 2024, federal agents sought to execute a search warrant at Curry’s residence. Prosecutors said he was arrested after refusing to leave the residence and then sending additional messages to the company threatening to publish the data if he were arrested.

Charge and court status

Curry pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington, D.C. to one count of felony extortion involving an interstate threat to injure the property or reputation of another to obtain money. The case was handled in U.S. District Court and included investigative work by federal authorities in the Washington region, with assistance from agents in the Charlotte area.

What the case highlights for employers

• Contractor offboarding and access controls can become central in disputes involving data and account permissions.
• Extortion demands increasingly reference digital assets and cryptocurrency payment channels.
• Technical artifacts such as message metadata and account identifiers can be pivotal in attribution.

Federal cases involving threats to disclose internal records often turn on documentation, digital traces, and timelines showing when access was available and when threatening communications began.