Criminal law took a giant leap this week with the first alleged crime in space. While “It Came From Outer Space” was originally about aliens, Summer Worden claims it was identity theft that came from space in this sequel. She has accused her former spouse Anne McClain of illegally accessing her bank accounts from the International Space Station. This would not make McClain a “space pirate” since she is on a U.S. flagged vessel, but she would be the first confirmed space criminal if convicted.
Worden is an ex-Air Force intelligence officer who has filed a complaint with Federal Trade Commission and NASA of identity theft. She is also accused by Worden’s parents of carrying out a “highly calculated and manipulative campaign” to gain custody of Worden’s 6-year-old son after their divorce last year.
Worden had the boy a year before she met McClain. While they were still married in 2018, McClain went to court on her own to adopt the boy. Worden opposed the adoption. She not only sought to adopt but to assume the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child” if the couple divorced. She later accused Worden of having a temper and poor judgment.
Worden found that McCalin gained access to her accounts though there is no allegation of theft of funds. It took some doing for the former NSA employee. She confirmed from the bank that one of the computers used was registered to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. McClain insists that she was merely accessing the account from the ISS to be sure that she could support the child and that their finances remained intertwined. She further says that Worden had previously agreed to such access. If they were divorced at the time, such access would be difficult to justify without proof of consent. Both have also made statements to the federal agencies and are subject to criminal prosecution for false statements under 18 U.S.C. 1001.