Celebrity Nude Photos Hack: 28-Year-Old US Man Charged

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 5 July 2016 16:17 IST
A US man was charged on Friday in relation to one of the biggest celebrity hacks in which a phishing scheme led to nude photos of Hollywood stars being posted online.

Edward Majerczyk, 28, of Illinois, agreed as part of a deal with federal authorities in Los Angeles to plead guilty to one felony count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information in what became known as "Celebgate" in 2014.

The scandal saw nude photos of models and actresses such as Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton published online, although none of the celebrities hacked by Majerczyk were named in the plea deal.

He faces up to five years in federal prison once he enters his guilty plea in Illinois, where his case is being transferred, prosecutors said.

Advertisement

According to the plea agreement, Majerczyk, between November 2013 and August 2014, illegally accessed the Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts of more than 300 people, including at least 30 celebrities, stealing their videos, photos and naked selfies.

Advertisement

Prosecutors said he snared his victims by sending them emails that appeared to be from internet service providers, directing them to a website that collected their usernames and passwords.

Once Majerczyk had hacked into his victims' iCloud and Gmail accounts he had access to a trove of sensitive photographs and videos, authorities said.

Advertisement

However they added that there was no evidence linking Majerczyk to the actual leak of nude pictures of celebrities that were posted online in September 2014.

"This defendant not only hacked into email accounts - he hacked into his victims' private lives, causing embarrassment and lasting harm," said Deirdre Fike, the deputy head of the FBI's Los Angeles office. "As most of us use devices containing private information, cases like this remind us to protect our data."

Advertisement

Another Pennsylvania man - 36-year-old Ryan Collins - also pleaded guilty in the case in May.

 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Tipped to Launch With These Camera Improvements
  2. iQOO Z11 Turbo Confirmed to Launch in These Four Colourways in China
  3. Moto X70 Air Pro Teaser Confirms AI Focus and Pro Upgrade
  4. Vivo X300 Ultra Design, Display Details Surface Ahead of China Launch
  5. OnePlus Turbo 6 and Turbo 6V Battery Capacities Announced Ahead of Debut
  6. Poco M8 5G Will Launch in India on This Date
  7. Samsung Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Ultra Spotted in Leaked Hands-On Images
  8. PAN-Aadhaar Deadline: How to Link PAN Card and Aadhaar Before December 31
  9. Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G Price Range, Chipset Revealed Ahead of Launch in India
  10. Amazon Get Fit Days Sale 2026 Announced in India: See Top Deals, Discounts
  1. Samsung Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Ultra Design Spotted in Leaked Hands-On Images
  2. Hotels Shift Focus to Loyalty Programmes to Challenge AI Agents, Booking Platforms: Report
  3. AI Impact Summit 2026: MeitY Says AI Should Not Be Controlled by Small Set of Companies
  4. Moto X70 Air Pro to Launch in China Soon; Could Feature Periscope Telephoto Camera, Snapdragon Chipset
  5. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to Launch With Camera Improvements Including Upgraded Lenses, Tipster Claims
  6. iQOO 15 Ultra Key Specifications, Launch Timeline Tipped; May Feature Active Cooling Fan
  7. PS6, Next-Gen Xbox Launches Could Reportedly be Delayed Due to Rising RAM Costs
  8. Innocent (2025) Now Available For Streaming Online: What You Need to Know About This Malayalam Film
  9. CES 2026: Samsung Reportedly Plans to Unveil Brain Health Service to Detect Early Signs of Dementia
  10. Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G Price Range, Chipset Revealed Ahead of India Launch on January 6
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.