Matthew M. Graves U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
Nikhil Parekh, a 37-year-old resident of Randallstown, Maryland, has pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court to charges related to the theft and sale of government-issued smartphones, laptops, and other IT devices that were supposed to be destroyed. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Chief J. Thomas Manger of the U.S. Capitol Police, and USAID Special Agent in Charge Sean Bottary.
Parekh admitted to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by selling stolen goods. U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb has scheduled his sentencing for May 5, 2025.
Court documents reveal that between February 2019 and September 2023, Parekh worked as a driver for an international IT asset disposition company based initially in Maryland and later in Virginia. This company was contracted by several government agencies and private companies to dismantle and recycle obsolete IT assets responsibly, including wiping digital storage devices according to national standards.
However, from 2022 to 2023, Parekh and his unindicted co-conspirators deviated from their responsibilities by removing IT assets intended for secure shredding or delivery to secure facilities. They sold these assets to electronics resellers for personal gain while falsely certifying their destruction. Parekh acknowledged taking hundreds of assets valued at over $10,000 as part of this conspiracy.
The investigation led by the U.S. Capitol Police and USAID discovered some resold devices still bore government asset tags, helping trace evidence of the illegal sales back to victim agencies through local resellers.
Parekh faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing. He has agreed to forfeit digital devices seized during a search of his home and pay $10,000 in restitution under his plea agreement.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the United States Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Hart is prosecuting the matter with support from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Baset.
