Brian J. Booth, a 38-year-old Virginia resident, was arrested today and charged via criminal complaint with mail fraud for a scheme to use information stolen from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in an attempt to extort foreign officials and obtain payment for the information.
According to Court records, Booth, an FAA employee, had access to information identifying persons who were previously authorized to exercise piloting or aircraft maintenance privileges in the United States, but who had their piloting or aircraft maintenance privileges revoked. Booth sent the names and addresses of certain of these individuals to the embassies of Germany, France, and the People’s Republic of China, demanding payment for the information. Booth does not appear to have obtained any money as a result of the scheme.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Liz Aloi of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, District of Columbia