Prosecutors say Terry “Jiajia” Liu pulled parts from 46 Customs machines, replaced them with cheaper chips, traded the originals for Newegg credit, and put the computers back on the DHS network
A supervisor trusted with Customs and Border Protection computers at Maine’s northern border now faces federal charges after prosecutors say he stripped government machines for parts and put downgraded replacements back on the Department of Homeland Security network.
Terry “Jiajia” Liu, 39, whom The Maine Wire reported is originally from Guangzhou, China, supervised CBP operations at the Calais Port of Entry. The FBI affidavit says he had limited IT duties but no authority to alter agency computers.
Investigators say Liu modified 46 computers at Calais, Ferry Point, and Milltown. The affidavit lists 39 processor swaps, six memory changes, and eight hard-drive changes. Some machines underwent multiple modifications.
The machines originally carried 14th-generation Intel processors. Prosecutors say Liu installed older processors, including Pentium chips, along with lower-capacity memory and storage, then reconnected many machines to the CBP network.
“Please do not move any computers or computer parts.” — Theodore Cummings, CBP port director, in a March 2025 email cited in the FBI affidavit
The FBI says surveillance cameras later recorded Liu opening computers during overnight shifts. Investigators found emails, shipping labels, and trade-in records that they say tied missing processors to Newegg credit. The affidavit alleges Liu traded in 14th-generation Intel chips 16 times between May 2025 and July 2026.
PCMag’s review of the court filing reported that Liu admitted using CBP parts for Newegg trade-ins and said he replaced hardware with older parts because he was angry about repair delays. The complaint charges theft and damage of government property.
Bangor Daily News reported that each count carries a maximum 10-year prison term.