Former contractor admits to hacking employer in retaliation for termination

HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Ohio man has pleaded guilty to computer fraud for hacking his former employer’s network after he was fired, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

On May 14, 2021, Maxwell Schultz, Columbus, Ohio, was terminated from his position as a contract employee in his company’s IT department. Shortly after, he accessed the company’s network by impersonating another contractor to obtain login credentials.

He ran a PowerShell script that reset approximately 2,500 passwords, locking thousands of employees and contractors out of their computers nationwide. Schultz also searched for ways to delete logs, PowerShell window events and cleared multiple system logs.

The attack to the company’s system caused more than $862,000 in losses, including employee downtime, customer-service disruptions and labor needed to restore the network.

As part of his plea, Schultz admitted to conducting the attack because he was upset about being fired.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal will impose sentencing Jan. 30, 2026. At that time, Schultz faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

The FBI conducted the investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Michael Chu are prosecuting the case.