India, March 8 -- The US Department of Justice on Friday announced criminal charges against a State Department employee who is accused of performing criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defence information.

The accused has been identified as 42-year-old Michael Charles Schena from Alexandria, Virginia.

According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorised to receive.

In return, Schena received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellp...