U.S.

Department of Justice

Jessie K. Liu
United States Attorney for the
District of Columbia
Judiciary Center
555 Fourth St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For Information Contact:
Thursday, October 4, 2018 Public Affairs
(202) 252-6933
http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/index.html

District Man Charged in Investigation of Illegal Posting

Of Restricted Personal Information of U.S. Senators on Website
Arrest Followed Investigation of “Doxxing” Activity

WASHINGTON – A volunteer on the staff of a member of the U.S. House of

Representatives made his first court appearance today on charges stemming from the illegal
posting of restricted personal information of five U.S. Senators on the Wikipedia website, as well
as related conduct.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu
and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.

Jackson A. Cosko, 27, of Washington, D.C., was arrested on Oct. 3, 2018 by the U.S.
Capitol Police. He is charged in a criminal complaint with five federal offenses: making public
restricted personal information; making threats in interstate commerce; unauthorized access of a
government computer; identity theft; and witness tampering. The complaint also charges him
with second-degree burglary and unlawful entry, both District of Columbia offenses.

Cosko appeared this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia. The judge ordered that Cosko remain detained
pending a hearing set for Oct. 9, 2018.

According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, the U.S. Capitol Police began an
investigation on Sept. 27, 2018, after it was determined that the Wikipedia pages of three U.S.
Senators had been edited to include restricted personal information without their knowledge or
permission. This information included home addresses and personal telephone numbers. These
edits took place roughly contemporaneously with public – and highly publicized – Senate
proceedings related to a nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.
 Then, on Oct. 1, 2018, according to the affidavit, similar information was posted on the
Wikipedia pages of two additional Senators.

“Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet
personal identifying information (“PII”) and other sensitive information about an individual.

On the night of Oct. 2, 2018, according to the affidavit, a witness saw Cosko at a
computer in the office of a U.S. Senator who had once employed him. The witness confronted
Cosko, who left the office. An investigation led to Cosko’s arrest by the U.S. Capitol Police.

The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is
presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The statutory maximums for the crimes are as follows:

Federal Offenses:

Making public restricted personal information – five years.

Threats in interstate commerce – two years.
Unauthorized access of a government computer – one year.
Identity theft – five years.
Witness tampering – 20 years.

District of Columbia Offenses:

Second-degree burglary – 15 years.

Unlawful Entry – Six months.

The maximum statutory federal sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here
for informational purposes. If convicted of any federal offense, a sentence will be determined by
the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. The case
is being prosecuted by the Cyber Crime and National Security Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s
Office for the District of Columbia.

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