Whistleblower Says What About DOGE Official?
A whistleblower has come forward with allegations that a former employee connected to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed to have access to two highly restricted Social Security databases and discussed sharing the information with a private employer.
The claims have triggered a formal investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, which has also alerted several congressional committees responsible for government oversight.
The allegations were first reported Tuesday by The Washington Post, which said it reviewed documents related to the complaint.
Federal Watchdogs Begin Investigation
According to the report, the acting inspector general notified senior lawmakers on four congressional committees about the complaint.
The disclosure was also shared with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which is currently conducting its own review of DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Security data systems.
A GAO spokesperson confirmed that the audit remains underway but did not provide a timeline for when findings may be released.
The whistleblower reportedly filed the complaint anonymously due to fears of retaliation.
Allegations Involve Massive Social Security Databases
The complaint centers on claims that a former DOGE software engineer told colleagues he had copies of two major government databases containing records on hundreds of millions of Americans.
The databases reportedly involved include:
- Numident – the master file used by the Social Security Administration to track Social Security numbers
- Master Death File – a database containing records of deceased individuals
Together, these systems contain information on more than 500 million living and deceased Americans.
The records include highly sensitive personal details such as:
- Social Security numbers
- Birth records
- Citizenship status
- Race and ethnicity data
- Parents’ names
Because of the sensitive nature of the information, access to these databases is tightly restricted within the federal government.
Claims of Data Stored on Personal Device
According to the whistleblower complaint, the former employee allegedly told coworkers he had at least one of the databases saved on a thumb drive.
The complaint also claims the individual asked for assistance transferring the files to a personal computer so the data could be “sanitized,” meaning identifying information would be removed before potentially being used by his new employer.
One coworker reportedly refused to assist due to legal concerns about handling government data outside approved systems.
The whistleblower also alleged the engineer suggested he believed he could receive a presidential pardon if authorities later determined his actions violated the law.
However, the complaint does not claim that the data was successfully uploaded or shared.
Employee Denies Allegations
An attorney representing the former DOGE employee said his client strongly denies any wrongdoing.
The Social Security Administration also previously stated that earlier reviews of the allegations did not find evidence supporting the claims.
Agency spokesman Barton Mackey said the accusation originated from a single anonymous source and that internal reviews conducted at the time did not confirm the allegations.
The private company mentioned in the complaint also reported conducting a two-day internal investigation, which it said did not uncover evidence supporting the whistleblower’s claims.
Both the agency and the company declined to comment further this week.
Officials Emphasize Strict Data Protection Laws
Leland Dudek, who previously served as acting Social Security commissioner during the early stages of DOGE’s operations, said he was not familiar with the specific complaint.
However, he emphasized that sharing Social Security data outside authorized government systems would clearly violate federal law.
“Providing Numident data to unauthorized third parties, whether through cloud systems or personal storage devices, is illegal,” Dudek said.
Previous Concerns About Data Security
The whistleblower complaint follows earlier concerns about how sensitive government data may have been handled by personnel connected to the department.
According to previous reports, a separate complaint filed last year by the agency’s former chief data officer alleged that copies of Social Security data may have been uploaded to cloud services, potentially putting personal information at risk.
Earlier this year, officials acknowledged that some DOGE staff members were involved in separate data-handling incidents, including sharing information through an unapproved third-party platform.
Investigators said one employee also signed an agreement to provide data to a political group involved in election-related legal challenges.
Investigation Still Ongoing
At this stage, investigators have not confirmed the whistleblower’s claims.
Federal watchdog agencies say the investigation remains active and will determine whether any violations of federal data protection laws occurred.
The case highlights ongoing concerns in Washington about how sensitive government data is protected and who has access to it.
As the investigation continues, lawmakers and oversight agencies are expected to closely examine whether existing safeguards are strong enough to protect the private information of millions of Americans.
