DERRY – Andrew Mahn, 28, of Derry, recently pleaded guilty to hacking into a telecommunications company and committing passport fraud.

According to court documents, Mahn was a radio technician for the telecommunications company in Chicago and later worked for the Massachusetts Port Authority.

During his time at Massport, Mahn sent “spear-phishing emails” to a number of employees at the telecommunications company. He was successful in getting his former colleagues to disclose their login information on a fake website. In addition, Mahn sent text messages to those employees and tricked them into providing their authentication codes.

Armed with this information, Mahn was able to access the servers at the telecommunications company. His activities also included using anonymous IP addresses, an account linked to his email address at Massport and bitcoin, a type of cryptocurrency.

Mahn was subsequently indicted for wire fraud in October 2021. While awaiting trial, he applied for a passport using a false name as well as a false New Hampshire birth certificate and state identification card.

He also petitioned to have his passport processed sooner.

“I have just found out I need to book international travel shortly for family reasons in the coming weeks to Germany,” Mahn said in a letter to federal officials. “I am trying to figure out the status of the application and when I can expect it to be processed and shipped.”

He was indicted for passport fraud in February of this year.

Mahn now faces up to 30 years in prison, six years of supervised release and $500,000 in fines.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024.

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