In a remarkable screw-up, a Department of Justice official today accidentally distributed to the media a document containing the names of nearly 20 confidential witnesses interviewed during a federal probe targeting the operators of a fraudulent investment scheme. In announcing felony charges against two men for their roles in an alleged $15 million Ponziesque swindle,…
Category: U.S.
AR: Discarded documents lead to worries
Mary Kincy Benefield reports: Aaron Janus of Russellville completed a Western Union transaction in 2007. The Boston Mountain Copper Company — which receives its mail at a post office box — contracted with Entergy for its electricity in August 2004. And the fee to send an international money order from the Four Seasons Market in…
Soapblox hacked, quits, tries to re-start
Slightly OT, but a reader alerted me to this: On January 6, SoapBlox, a blogging community for mostly political bloggers, posted the following: SoapBlox is Dead It was a good ride, but it’s over. Thanks for all the fish. All these hackers messing with our stuff, and we here at SoapBlox have no clue what…
Weak Password Brings ‘Happiness’ to Twitter Hacker
Kim Zetter reports: An 18-year-old hacker with a history of celebrity pranks has admitted to Monday’s hijacking of multiple high-profile Twitter accounts, including President-Elect Barack Obama’s, and the official feed for Fox News. The hacker, who goes by the handle GMZ, told Threat Level on Tuesday he gained entry to Twitter’s administrative control panel by…
Holy ID theft! Victim is bishop of Brooklyn
Alison Gendar and William Sherman report: Thieves stooped to a new low over the Christmas holiday, swiping the identity of Brooklyn’s Catholic bishop in an attempted credit card scam. The crooks learned Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s Social Security number and birth date and used the information to apply for credit cards, Diocese of Brooklyn spokesman the…
AZ: Pinal worker among 4 charged in ID theft
A Pinal County Recorder’s Office employee likely compromised the identities of numerous county residents in a check-washing ring that has led to the arrest of four people, according to search warrants executed in the case. The county employee, Albert Robbs, 51, was arrested last month on charges of theft, identity theft and tampering with public…