State Dept IT contractor charged with espionage, allegedly sent classified information to Ethiopia

Abraham Teklu Lemma — described by officials as a naturalized U.S. citizen of Ethiopian descent with a top-secret security clearance — was allegedly working for and accessing sensitive U.S. government records at the bidding of Ethiopia since at least last summer, two sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to CBS News. 

Lemma allegedly used an encrypted messaging app last year to send a foreign contact classified national defense information including maps, photographs, rebel group activity and satellite imagery, prosecutors wrote in court documents. 

“[Y]our team analyze this and establish some sort of sense to this,” Lemma allegedly wrote to his contact, according to charging documents, and included an image related to the country. 

“It’s time to continue ur support,” the official wrote to Lemma in September 2022, court files said. “Roger that!” he allegedly responded. 

According to a State Department spokesperson, Lemma’s clandestine activity was uncovered during a self-initiated 60-day review of classified networks and systems after revelations that Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira had allegedly accessed classified Defense Department records, in part related to Russia’s war in Ukraine, and posted them in an online chat forum. Teixeria was charged with espionage earlier this year and pleaded not guilty. He currently remains detained. ARTICLE HERE