The hacker who allegedly leaked nude photos of Hollywood stars, like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, has been charged in the US.
Edward Majerczyk, 28, will plead guilty in an Illinois court as part of a deal with federal authorities for illegally accessing at least 30 celebrities Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts between November 2013 and August 2014.
The sly man reportedly stole the A-listers private videos, photos and naked selfies, which were later posted online.
The charges against Majerczyk could land him behind federal bars for up to five years once his case is transferred to the state court.
To gain access to the celebs accounts, he sent them emails imitating their internet service provider which directed them to a website where he collected their login details, prosecutors said.
Although there is enough evidence to prove he hacked the accounts, there is no evidence Majerczyk leaked the risque photos in September 2014.
“This defendant not only hacked into email accounts – he hacked into his victims’ private lives, causing embarrassment and lasting harm,” Los Angeles’ FBI deputy head Deirdre Fike said.
“As most of us use devices containing private information, cases like this remind us to protect our data.”
Earlier this year, a 36-year-old Pennsylvania man, Ryan Collins, also pleaded guilty to hacking the private accounts of celebrities.
– Written by Lyall Russell
