Summer Heather Worden, the ex-wife of astronaut Anne McClain, has pleaded guilty to falsely accusing McClain of illegally accessing her bank records while on a mission aboard the International Space Station. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei stated that Worden, a former Air Force intelligence officer, admitted to granting McClain access to her bank records starting in 2015, according to Click2Houston.
Worden has pleaded guilty to changing the login information for her accounts in January 2019, despite previously sharing access with her ex-husband, McClain. She faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, as reported by KHOU. The plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett on Thursday, with sentencing set for February 12, 2026. The legal dispute between Worden and McClain became public during their divorce and custody battle over Worden’s son. McClain was initially accused of assault, but the charge was later dismissed. Their marriage was legally ended in January 2020.
Astronaut Anne McClain, a former Lieutenant Colonel who flew combat missions in Iraq before joining NASA, spent five months aboard the ISS during a time she described as "some tumultuous times on Earth." While on the mission, she said, "We want this mission, our mission, to be a reminder of what people can do when we work together, when we explore together," as per KHOU. After returning to Earth, McClain's actions were investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General. The case was handed over to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe for prosecution, and Worden is now awaiting sentencing while out on bond.
