WORLD NEWS FEBRUARY 23, 2019 / 1:46 AM / UPDATED 10 HOURS AGO

United States charges man accused in leak of Singapore HIV data

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Authorities in the United States have charged a man accused of leaking information on thousands of HIV victims in Singapore with possession and unlawful transfer of stolen documents.

Mikhy Farrera-Brochez was deported last year from the wealthy Asian city state after serving a prison sentence for numerous drug-related and fraud offences, including lying about his own HIV status.

In January, Singapore’s health ministry said Brochez had disclosed online the personal information, from names and identity numbers to addresses, of 5,400 citizens diagnosed with HIV up to January 2013, and of 8,800 foreigners diagnosed up to December 2011.

“The criminal complaint alleges that Farrera-Brochez illegally possessed and intended to distribute data containing sensitive medical and other identifying information,” the U.S. Attorney’s office of the eastern district of Kentucky said on Friday.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 22, 2019

Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of Identification Documents

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mikhy Farrera-Brochez, of Winchester, Kentucky, was charged via criminal complaint today with the unlawful transfer of stolen identification documents and possession with intent to distribute these documents in violation of federal law.

The criminal complaint alleges that Farrera-Borchez illegally possessed and intended to distribute data containing sensitive medical and other identifying information. While living in the Eastern District of Kentucky, Farrera-Brochez sent links to the data from his e-mail account to several news outlets. He also sent e-mails to several government officials in Singapore containing links to the data.

Robert M. Duncan Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly announce this criminal complaint. The investigation preceding the complaint was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Defendant’s next court appearance is currently scheduled for Wednesday, February 27, at 11:00am, in Lexington.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations. The Defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.