A former Air Force intelligence officer has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federal agent, admitting she fabricated a claim that her estranged astronaut wife illegally accessed her bank account from the International Space Station. The plea brings a conclusion to a case that once generated headlines about a potential crime committed in space.
Summer Worden, 50, entered the guilty plea in a Houston federal court on Thursday, just days before her trial was scheduled to begin. The original accusation was leveled against her then-spouse, decorated U.S. Army colonel and NASA astronaut Anne McClain, during a contentious divorce proceeding.
Key Takeaways
- Summer Worden pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to federal authorities.
- She had previously accused her astronaut wife, Anne McClain, of identity theft from the International Space Station.
- The accusation was made amid a divorce and a custody dispute over their son.
- An investigation revealed McClain had been granted access to the bank account years prior.
- Worden faces a maximum of five years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on February 12.
The Guilty Plea and Its Consequences
The plea agreement marks the final chapter in a legal saga that has spanned more than five years. Worden was indicted for making false statements to two separate federal agencies: NASA’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Trade Commission.
By pleading guilty, Worden avoids a trial that was set to commence next week. She now faces significant legal penalties for the false report. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the charge carries a maximum possible sentence of up to five years in federal prison. Worden remains free on bond pending her sentencing, which is scheduled for February 12.
Case Timeline
- April 2018: Summer Worden opens the bank account in question.
- Dec 2018 - June 2019: Anne McClain is deployed on the International Space Station.
- January 2019: Worden changes the login credentials for the bank account.
- July 2019: Worden alleges McClain illegally accessed the account from space.
- Thursday: Worden pleads guilty to making a false statement.
Details of the Original Accusation
The case first drew public attention in 2019 when Worden claimed her spouse had committed identity theft while orbiting Earth. At the time, McClain was serving a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station. Worden alleged that McClain had improperly accessed her personal bank account, a claim made while the couple was engaged in a difficult divorce and a custody battle over their young son.
The accusation was serious, raising unprecedented questions about legal jurisdiction and criminal conduct in outer space. Worden formally reported the alleged identity theft to federal authorities, triggering a multi-agency investigation.
"The investigation revealed Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records from at least 2015, including her login credentials," the U.S. Attorney's Office stated.
Investigation Uncovers the Truth
Federal investigators methodically unraveled Worden’s claims. Their findings, detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, painted a picture very different from the one Worden had presented. The account in question was opened by Worden in April 2018, and evidence showed that both parties had accessed it regularly.
Crucially, investigators confirmed that Worden herself had provided McClain with the login credentials for the account. This shared access continued until January 2019, when Worden changed the password. McClain was already aboard the ISS at this time.
A Decorated Career
Anne McClain is a highly accomplished astronaut and military officer. A graduate of West Point, she is a U.S. Army colonel and a veteran of the Iraq war. She served as a flight engineer on the ISS from December 2018 to June 2019. More recently, she commanded the SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the station from March to August of this year.
McClain’s attorney stated in 2019 that the astronaut had accessed the account to ensure the family's financial situation was stable and that there were sufficient funds to care for their son. The attorney maintained that McClain was never informed by Worden that she was no longer permitted to view the account she had previously been given access to.
The prosecutor's office in Houston released a statement on the guilty plea with the headline "Far Out," an apparent nod to the space-based setting of the original false claim. The resolution of the case clears the name of McClain, allowing the focus to return to her distinguished career as an astronaut and military leader.