A Florida man has been indicted for hacking into the e-mail accounts of various female celebrities, including singer ChristinaAguilera and actresses Mila Kunis and Scarlett Johansson.
Christopher Chaney, 35, was named in a 26-countfelony indictment [ filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to prosecutors,Chaney, a Jacksonville resident, “gained unauthorized access” to the e-mail accounts of “over 50 individuals, some of whom resided inLos Angeles, California.” After gaining access to these accounts, Chaney allegedly obtained information about the victims via e-mails and attachments.
Chaney, pictured below, is also accused, “in most instances,” of setting e-mail forwarding features that resulted in the hacked account sending him “virtually instantaneously a copy ofevery e-mail received in the celebrity’s account.” He “thereafter distributed to others some of the information that he obtained by his unauthorized access.”
Some of the female celebrities hacked, notably Johansson, have had naked photos of themselves distributed online. Several of the alleged victims are identified only by their initials, like “B.P.,” “J.A.,” “L.B.,” “L.S.,” “D.F.,” and “B.G.”
Among Chaney’s aliases listed in the indictment is“trainreqsuckswhat,” an apparent reference to notorious hacker Joshua Holly , who was known online as “trainreq.” Holly, who has admitted hacking the e-mail account of Miley Cyrus, pleaded guilty in August to unrelated federal felony charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
If convicted of all charges, Chaney, who was arrested this morning by FBI agents, faces a maximum of 121 years in prison.