In a highly unexpected example of what it’s now possible to do in space, a NASA astronaut has been accused of breaking into her ex-spouse’s bank accounts while she was on board the International Space Station.
The bizarre accusation was made against decorated NASA astronaut Anne McClain, who is embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with her former partner Summer Worden.
Worden’s suspicions were raised when she noticed that her bank account was accessed without her permission from a NASA-affiliated computer network. After doing some further digging, the former Air Force intelligence officer accused McClain of breaking into her bank accounts while she was on board the ISS.
Worden told Houston news outlet KPRC that USAA Bank gave evidence to her attorneys that McClain had accessed her accounts. “I was shocked and appalled at the audacity by her to think that she could get away with that, and I was very disheartened that I couldn’t keep anything private,” she said.
Worden filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and a family member also filed a complaint with NASA’s internal Office of Inspector General. The complaint accused McClain of identity theft and improper access to Worden’s private financial records, the New York Times is reporting. A lawyer for McClain told the newspaper that the astronaut was merely tending the couple’s still-connected finances.
The drama unfolded as McClain was set to conduct the first all-female spacewalk in history, alongside colleague Christina Koch. That spacewalk was reassigned, in a move that garnered a lot of criticism, with astronaut Nick Hague replacing McClain. NASA said at the time that the decision was McClain’s choice as there were not enough space suits in McClain and Koch’s sizes.
Anne McClain remains an active astronaut and NASA said it does not comment on personal or personnel matters. The divorce case is set to be finalized in October.