January 26, 2026 The U.S. House of Representatives is dealing with an unlikely tech scandal after hundreds of government-issued smartphones made their way out of congressional inventory and onto the open market. The scheme went unnoticed until one confused buyer powered up a device and called the Capitol’s IT help desk.
Federal prosecutors say the case centers on Christopher Southerland, a 43-year-old systems administrator who worked in 2023 for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In that role, Southerland was authorized to procure mobile phones for committee staff, a group that numbers roughly 80 people.
Instead, investigators allege, Southerland ordered 240 brand-new smartphones and had them shipped directly to his home in Maryland. More than 200 of those devices were later sold to a local pawn shop, according to the government, with instructions that they be resold “in parts” to avoid triggering the House’s mobile device management controls.
That plan unraveled when at least one phone was resold intact. After purchasing the device on eBay, a member of the public turned it on and was greeted not by a standard setup screen, but by “a phone number for the House of Representatives Technology Service Desk.” The buyer called the number, inadvertently alerting congressional IT staff that government phones were being sold to the public.
That call prompted an investigation, which, prosecutors say, revealed that “several phones purchased by Southerland were unaccounted for.” The total loss to the government is estimated at more than $150,000.
Southerland was indicted in early December 2025 and arrested on Jan. 8, 2026. He has pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance, though he was ordered to stay away from U.S. Capitol grounds. A court hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Public records show Southerland presenting himself online as a seasoned IT professional, listing skills in Python, Linux administration and Microsoft systems including Azure and Active Directory. His profile also highlights experience “coordinating complex projects involving multiple stakeholders” and maintaining virtual infrastructure to ensure “the smooth operation of processes.”
Whether prosecutors’ version of events holds up in court remains to be seen.
