A Virginia man and former Navy member pleaded guilty to hacking charges Tuesday in a federal court in Tulsa, Okla.
Nicholas Knight, a 27-year-old former systems administrator in a nuclear reactor department, was charged earlier this month with one count of conspiring to hack the computer systems of more than 30 public and private entities while on active duty.
Knight is the alleged ringleader of hacker collective “Team Digi7al,” whose targets included government websites, including the U.S. Navy, and academic institutions.
Another group member, 20-year-old Daniel Krueger of Salem, Ill., also pleaded guilty to similar charges. According to plea agreements cited by Lincoln Journal Star, the men acknowledged that the U.S. Navy suffered losses of $514,000 as a result of their actions.
Both men face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.
