A Connecticut, USA based hacker who hacked more than 200 iCloud accounts and leaked private photos of top Hollywood celebrities and other people was sentenced to eight months in prison last Wednesday (29). In addition to the incarcerated time, George Garofano, 26, is scheduled to serve three more years of probation and 60 hours of community service, according to the Connecticut Post.
Garofano man was one of four prisoners in the 2014 hacking scandal that led to the release of private photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Upton and other celebrities and anonymous people.
Officials said the hackers used a phishing scheme that sent fake Apple emails asking for usernames and passwords. Garofano pleaded guilty in April and asked for leniency, saying he will face a loss of life rights because of the criminal conviction.
According to the newspaper, District Judge Victor Bolden said during the hearing that “240 victims were affected” by hackers, ranging from celebrities to a Garofano faculty colleague and random internet users. He chided Garofano for spreading a variety of “very intimate photos and videos” that “will not disappear any time soon”.
The case initially occurred in September 2014, with the spilling of Jennifer Lawrence’s intimate photos – and subsequently of other celebrities – and in March of 2015, the FBI authorities seized Garofano’s computer.
Garofano told the court that he assumes “total responsibility” for the “big mistake” and regrets what happened every day.
Lawrence talked about the leak of the photos in an interview with American Vogue last year. At the time, the actress said that the whole process made her “surprised” and “terrified”.
“Having your privacy violated constantly is not a problem if you’re perfect. But if you’re human, it’s terrifying. When my aide calls me, I always think, ‘Oh my God, what is it now?’ I’m always waiting to be caught off guard again, “said Jennifer.
