North Carolina Man Sentenced for Cyber Extortion Scheme that Targeted International Technology Company in D.C.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Cameron Curry, 27, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

In March 2026, a federal jury convicted Curry of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company. In addition to the 24-month prison sentence, Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Curry to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a money judgment of $7,540.92.

According to filed documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for approximately six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company's data files and other personnel and corporate information. Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company's personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme. Curry hatched his extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.

According to evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 11, 2023, to Jan. 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as "Loot," sent over 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million dollars in cryptocurrency. Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees' personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.

On Jan. 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry's residence, seizing various electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the "Loot" alias.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from and the FBI Charlotte Field Office.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina.

USAO-DC 24cr252
USAO-WNC 25cr148

Follow us on XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., InstagramLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., and YouTubeLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc