Former Warren County man pleads guilty to hacking, extortion targeting N.J.-based company
TRENTON, N.J. — A Missouri man, who was formerly from Warren County, has pleaded guilty to hacking a company’s computer network and attempting to extort employees of a New Jersey-based industrial company, federal prosecutors said.
Daniel Rhyne, 59, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty April 1 in U.S. District Court in Trenton to charges of extortion related to threats to damage a protected computer and intentional damage to a protected computer, according to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
Authorities said Rhyne worked as a core infrastructure engineer for a U.S.-based industrial company headquartered in Somerset County.
In November 2023, Rhyne carried out a scheme to hack the company’s network and demand payment, prosecutors said. He allegedly initiated unauthorized remote desktop sessions and scheduled tasks designed to disrupt operations.
Those actions included deleting administrator accounts, changing passwords and shutting down multiple company servers.
On Nov. 25, 2023, Rhyne began deploying the attack and sent an email to employees threatening to continue shutting down servers unless he was paid about 20 bitcoin, valued at approximately $750,000 at the time, according to court documents.
Rhyne faces up to five years in prison on the extortion charge and up to 10 years for intentionally damaging a protected computer. Each count also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss from the offense.
