The FBI has arrested and charged Terry “Jiajia” Liu, a Customs and Border Protection supervisor based in Calais, Maine, for theft and damage to government property, according to a report from The Maine Wire. Liu allegedly stole computer hardware from at least 46 Department of Homeland Security computers across three Maine border facilities, including Intel 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors, memory modules, and hard drives.
Liu’s official role was limited to information-technology support, and a written order from Port Director Theodore Cummings explicitly prohibited moving computers or computer parts. However, hidden surveillance cameras captured Liu opening government computers and swapping hardware during the midnight shift. One recording showed Liu using a screwdriver to remove thermal paste from a processor and installing a replacement chip, while another captured Liu removing a memory module and storing it in a desk drawer.
According to the affidavit, investigators found that thirty-nine computers had their processors replaced with older hardware—sometimes downgraded to Pentium chips—six machines had memory modules swapped, and eight had hard drive changes. The original systems used Raptor Lake Refresh chips but were later discovered to have less memory and storage capacity than their original configurations.
Instead of selling the stolen hardware on the open market, Liu used Newegg’s Trade-In program. Investigators found 13 emails between a personal account and an official CBP email address containing shipping labels and trade-in receipts for processors matching the missing components. Liu traded in Core i7 Raptor Lake Refresh chips 16 times over 14 months, from May 2025 to July 2026, receiving between $200 and $210 per processor. Three $200 Newegg credits were also found in Liu’s American Express records.
During an interview, Liu confessed to replacing hardware with lower-performing parts purchased on Amazon and Newegg, and to submitting government-owned parts to Newegg’s Trade-In program. Liu initially claimed the changes were intended to improve computer performance and reduce repair times, but later admitted the modifications resulted in degraded performance.
Restoring the stolen hardware could cost approximately $20,460, while fully replacing all 46 compromised computers with equivalent hardware would cost an estimated $105,800, according to investigators. Additional labor costs to configure each system for government use will increase the total expense.
Key facts
- Terry Liu, a CBP supervisor in Calais, Maine, was arrested and charged with theft and damage to government property
- At least 46 DHS computers across three Maine border facilities were affected
- Stolen Intel 14th Gen Raptor Lake processors were replaced with inferior hardware, sometimes Pentium chips
- Liu traded stolen processors through Newegg’s Trade-In program 16 times over 14 months for $200-$210 each
- Surveillance cameras documented Liu swapping hardware during midnight shifts
- Full replacement cost for all 46 compromised computers estimated at $105,800