LOS ANGELES — A New Jersey woman has been charged with hacking the email accounts of actress Selena Gomez and her associate and stealing digital property from them.
Susan Atrach, 21, of Ridgefield Park, N.J., was charged with five felony counts of identity theft; five felony counts of accessing and using computer data to commit fraud or to control or obtain money, property or data; and one felony count of accessing and using computer data or taking supporting documentation without permission.
Atrach is accused of accessing the victims’ accounts several times from June 2015 through February 2016. She then allegedly obtained stored media that she posted online and shared with other people, said Deputy District Attorney Ben Forer.
The Los Angeles Times reported: Sources familiar with the investigation, but who were not authorized to discuss it, said the young woman did not make any money off the information or convey it to publications. Gomez’s online security was compromised by the hacker resetting her passwords using information questions. The answers to those questions were readily available among hundreds of pieces of information about the singer and actress available online.
Atrach faces a possible maximum sentence of nine years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged. The prosecutor is recommending bail be set at $250,000.
