NASA investigates possible first crime in space

Washington (AFP)

NASA is investigating what could be the first crime committed in space, the New York Times reported Saturday.

Astronaut Anne McClain is accused of identity theft and unauthorized access to her ex-wife's financial records from the International Space Station (ISS) where she was on a six-month mission, according to York.

Anne McClain's former wife, Summer Worden, filed suit this year with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an independent agency, after learning that Anne McClain had accessed their joint bank account without her permission. Summer Worden's family has also filed a complaint with NASA's general inspectorate, according to the newspaper.

For Anne McClain's lawyer, her client did nothing wrong and accessed the bank accounts while she was aboard the ISS to monitor the couple's joint account, which she was doing during their relationship.

Investigators from the US Space Agency contacted the two women, according to the New York Times.

Summer Worden said the FTC did not respond to the impersonation, but a specialist investigator and NASA's general inspectorate are investigating the charge, according to the New York Times.

© 2019 AFP