By: Tracie Carter
A Missouri man has admitted in federal court to carrying out a cyberattack and extortion scheme against a New Jersey-based company, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Daniel Rhyne, 59, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton to charges involving computer hacking and extortion.
According to federal authorities, Rhyne was previously employed as a core infrastructure engineer at a U.S.-based industrial company headquartered in New Jersey.
While still connected to the organization, investigators say he orchestrated a plan in November 2023 to infiltrate the company’s network and demand payment.
Officials said Rhyne initiated unauthorized remote access sessions and set up automated tasks designed to disrupt operations.
Those actions included deleting administrator accounts, altering passwords, and shutting down multiple company servers.
On November 25, 2023, prosecutors said Rhyne began executing the attack and simultaneously sent a message to company employees demanding ransom.
He allegedly threatened to continue crippling the company’s systems unless he was paid approximately 20 Bitcoin—valued at around $750,000 at the time.
Federal prosecutors stated that the charges carry significant penalties.
The extortion count is punishable by up to five years in prison, while the computer damage charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years. 
Both offenses may also result in substantial financial penalties.
Sentencing is expected at a later date.