A former student at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, Vishwanath Akuthota, has been charged with causing extensive damage to computer systems . Akuthota, 27, admitted to the acts on February 14, 2019. He now faces up to 10 years in prison.
Akuthota allegedly destroyed a total of 66 computers at his university, along with the monitors and stands they were placed on, while simultaneously recording his act with his iPhone.
University security cameras captured him wearing a red sweatshirt and carrying a gray backpack, according to the Time Union.
The total damage caused by Akuthota reached $58,471 and he agreed to return the amount to the college.
The former student is currently in custody since his arrest on February 22, 2019, and the case is being investigated by the Albany Police Department (APD) and the FBI, and he has not revealed the motives that led him to carry out this act.
Killer USB is a tiny USB that, when plugged into a computer, rapidly delivers a very high voltage of current and destroys the device's hardware. According to the affidavit, "this process renders an electronic device inoperable, damaging the port, hard drive and the entire power system.".
Akuthota, who is originally from India and is in the US on a student visa, graduated from the College of Saint Rose in 2017 with a master's degree in business. He also reportedly holds a bachelor's degree in information systems.
