Hackers threaten to release files of celebrities if law firm doesn’t pay, reports say
A celebrity law firm that represents A-list musicians and celebrities like Madonna and Elton John had hundreds of gigabytes of client files stolen in a cyber attack, according to multiple reports.
The hackers are demanding $21 million or they say they will make the documents public, according to Variety, which first reported on the hack.
The New Yorked-based law firm, Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, confirmed the attack to Rolling Stone.
“We can confirm that we’ve been victimized by a cyberattack,” a spokesperson said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We have notified our clients and our staff. We have hired the world’s experts who specialize in this area, and we are working around the clock to address these matters.”
The hackers say they stole more than 750 gigabytes of information from the firm, including personal emails and contracts, according to the BBC.
The hackers released what appeared to be a screenshot of a Madonna contract, the BBC reports.
The law firm’s website appears to be down, but older versions of the website saved on the Internet Archive show a high-profile client list of musicians, actors and others in the entertainment industry.
The list includes AC/DC, Barbra Streisand, Barbara Walters, Bette Midler, Bruce Springsteen, David Letterman, Elton John, Fiona Apple, Lady Gaga, Lil Nas X, Lil Wayne, Lionel Richie, Lizzo, Madonna, Martha Stewart, Ricky Martin, Robert De Niro, Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, Spike Lee, Sting, Tom Cruise and U2.
The attack came from a group called “REvil,” which is also called “Sodinokibi,” Variety reports.
The same group attacked the currency-exchange company Tavelex at the beginning of the year, according to the BBC.
Travelex reportedly paid a $2.3 million ransom to the hackers, according to SC Media, a magazine focused on cyber security.
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Hackers threaten to release files of celebrities if law firm doesn’t pay, reports say."
