Former government employee charged with falsely accusing coworkers of participating in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Former government employee charged with falsely accusing coworkers of participating in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Benjamin Hughes

Washington — A former government employee with ties to federal intelligence agencies was arrested in Virginia Thursday and accused of sending fake tips to the FBI in which he falsely accused multiple coworkers of taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, newly unsealed court documents revealed. 

Investigators alleged in court records that Miguel Zapata anonymously submitted information about seven individuals with whom he had once worked in the months after the attack, writing that they “espoused conspiracy theories” and “took part in the insurrection.” 

According to prosecutors, between February and April 2021, Zapata allegedly concocted fake stories about his former coworkers’ involvement in the events of Jan. 6 and submitted them via the FBI’s anonymous tip line that has been used to gather information following the Capitol breach. Over 1,300 individuals have so far been charged for their alleged involvement. 

More

More

Robert Legare

Robert Legare is a CBS News multiplatform reporter and producer covering the Justice Department, federal courts and investigations. He was previously an associate producer for the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.”

Source: cbsnews.com