Overview
- The SSA Office of Inspector General notified four congressional committees on March 6 that it launched an investigative review of an anonymous complaint involving a former DOGE software engineer.
- The complaint alleges the ex-staffer claimed possession of the Numident and Master Death File databases, kept at least one dataset on a thumb drive, and discussed using the data at a private employer, while boasting of “God-level” access.
- The SSA, the named former employee, and the employee’s current company publicly disputed the account, and investigators have not released evidence confirming any data transfer or misuse.
- The Government Accountability Office is reviewing DOGE’s access to SSA systems, while lawmakers including Senators Ron Wyden and Gary Peters and Representative Robert Garcia are seeking records, briefings, and independent investigations.
- Earlier disclosures and court filings showed DOGE personnel uploaded SSA data to an unapproved cloud and engaged in activities beyond SSA’s mission, including a “voter data agreement,” with related litigation ongoing.