A woman has pleaded guilty to making false claims that her former spouse, an astronaut, committed a crime while aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Summer Heather Worden, aged 50, reported to law enforcement in July 2019 that her ex-wife, Anne McClain, had illegally accessed her bank account during her mission in space. This case marked the first allegation of a crime purportedly committed in space.
Worden’s accusations surfaced while McClain was stationed on the ISS from December 2018 to June 2019. According to a news release issued by the Department of Justice, an investigation conducted by NASA’s Office of the Inspector General revealed significant inconsistencies in Worden’s claims. The inquiry established that Worden opened the disputed bank account in April 2018, allowing both herself and McClain access until January 2019.
Furthermore, the investigation disclosed that Worden had routinely shared her bank records with McClain, including providing her with login credentials since at least 2015. In a statement to The New York Times, McClain asserted that she had accessed the account with Worden’s permission. Despite this, Worden contested McClain’s claim and filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Worden’s family also lodged a complaint with NASA’s Office of Inspector General, accusing McClain of identity theft and improper access to the bank account. McClain publicly denied these allegations on social media, asserting that she and Worden were experiencing a difficult personal separation that had become a matter of public interest.
On November 13, Worden entered a guilty plea for one count of lying to law enforcement. She is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2026 and could face up to five years in federal prison, along with a potential fine of $250,000. Until her sentencing, Worden remains on bond.
McClain, who has returned to the ISS in 2025, participated in a spacewalk during this mission. This was a notable return for her, especially after the first all-female spacewalk she was set to join had been delayed due to a lack of properly sized suits. The historic all-female spacewalk was later successfully performed by astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.
As the story unfolds, it highlights the complexities of personal relationships in extraordinary circumstances, raising questions about privacy and accountability, even in the vastness of space.
