Ex-government worker charged with falsely accusing colleagues of taking part in Jan. 6

A former government employee has been charged with falsely accusing seven colleagues of participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Miguel Zapata allegedly used “burner” emails to submit anonymous tips to the FBI about his former colleagues, many of whom held security clearances or worked in the intelligence community.

Agents following up on those tips determined that none of the accused were in Washington, D.C., that day and confirmed they were working at the time of the U.S. Capitol attack, reported Politico.

“These tips variously alleged that the government employees and contractors were physically present at or involved in the attack at the Capitol or had shared classified information with individuals and groups present at the riot with the intent to assist these groups in overthrowing the United States government,” the charging documents allege.

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Court documents don't indicate which agency Zapata had worked for but noted that his anonymous email account was traced back to his employer's servers.

Zapata submitted the anonymous tips in February 2021 and April 2021 falsely accusing his former colleagues of taking part in the riots, and investigators noted that he affirmed before submitting them that providing false information could result in criminal charges.