Alleged celebrity hacker nabbed after undercover operation

NEW YORK — A national of Bahamas was arrested Monday for unlawfully accessing celebrities’ email accounts to steal and sell upcoming movie and television scripts, personal identification information and personal video files. The arrest stems from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

HSI special agents arrested Alonzo Knowles, 23, of Freeport, Bahamas, after a meeting with an HSI undercover special agent in New York. During the meeting, Knowles attempted to sell to the special agent, in exchange for $80,000, approximately 15 movies and television scripts, sexually explicit videos of celebrities and other professionals in the entertainment and media industry that he had unlawfully obtained.  He also provided the undercover agent with social security numbers of three professional athletes and a movie actress. 

 “This case has all of the elements of the kind of blockbuster script the defendant, Alonzo Knowles, is alleged to have stolen: hacks into celebrities’ private emails, identity theft, and attempts to sell victims’ information to the highest bidder,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “Unfortunately, these circumstances are all too real. I want to thank HSI for their quick work to stop Knowles’s alleged intrusions and his efforts to profit from the information he stole.”

According to the Complaint filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court:

In early December 2015, representatives of an American premium cable and satellite television network (“TV Network-1”) were informed by the executive producer of a popular drama television series airing on TV Network-1 (“TV Series-1”) that an individual may have obtained unauthorized access to scripts of the upcoming season of TV Series-1. In particular, a popular radio host (“Witness-1”) had contacted the executive producer because Witness-1 had received an unsolicited offer, by email, from an individual who offered to sell Witness-1 scripts of upcoming episodes of TV Series-1. That individual was later identified as Knowles. Thereafter, at the direction of HSI, Witness-1 introduced Knowles to an undercover HSI special agent who expressed interest in purchasing the scripts.

 In videoconference calls in December 2015, Knowles claimed to the special agent that he had “exclusive content” that was “really profitable” and worth “hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Knowles stated that he obtained the material directly from the victims without their knowledge, and claimed to be able to acquire additional material from other celebrities and entertainment, sports, and media industry professionals. Knowles showed the special agent a list of the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of at least 130 such individuals that he had in his possession.

Knowles also offered to sell the special agent sexually explicit images and videos that Knowles had stolen from the personal e-mail accounts of such individuals, certain of whom Knowles specifically identified to the special agent. As an example, Knowles provided the special agent with images and a video clip that he had stolen from the personal email account of another radio host (“Victim-5”) that had been sent to Victim-5 by another individual. In addition, after the special agent inquired whether Knowles could obtain the personal identification information of celebrities, Knowles provided the special agent with a copy of the passport, social security number, and other personal identification information of a particular film actor. In addition, Knowles offered to sell the special agent “a very popular A list celebrity ssn along with 30 unreleased tracks towards their upcoming album.”

During the meeting Monday with the special agent in New York City, Knowles claimed to use two different methods to gain unlawful access to victims’ e-mail accounts. One method, according to Knowles, involved sending a “virus” to the Victim’s computer which enabled Knowles to access it. The other method involved Knowles emailing a false notification to the Victim stating that the Victim’s email account had been hacked, and asking for the Victim’s passcodes. Either way, once Knowles had successfully accessed the Victim’s e-mail account, Knowles, unbeknownst to the Victim, changed the settings in the Victim’s e-mail account in order to maintain ongoing access to it.

Knowles is charged with one count of felony criminal copyright infringement, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of identity theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.