Alonzo Knowles, 23, of Freeport in the Bahamas, plead guilty to hacking over 130 celebrities and stealing secret scripts. One of his victims was “Power” star Naturi Naughton. Knowles stole secret scripts from Naturi in 2015, then tried to extort the actress, 50 Cent and several others involved in the Starz hit show.
“I have never felt more violated and out of control in my entire life,” Naughton told the judge. “It’s not a game. It’s not a joke. This is our lives – and livelihood.”
Knowles also stole a script from the upcoming 2Pac biopic, “All Eyez On Me” and swiped messages, social security numbers, nude photos and sex tapes from his celebrity victims. In court Knowles explained how he tricked celebrities into downloading a virus on their computer that let him access their accounts, or sent them a fake notification saying their account had been hacked and they needed to input a new password. Once he accessed their information, he would take the information and attempt to shop them to agents. Some scripts he requested upwards of $80,000 for. Knowles was caught when a few agents set up a sting operation, inviting the Bahamian to meet them in New York.
In Knowles’ original plea deal, it was agreed that he would serve no more than 27 to 33 months in federal lockup. However in August, the feds learned that Knowles had been sending emails from lockup, bragging about his crime and vowing to “shake up hollywood for real” by writing a tell-all after he’s released from prison using information he still has hidden away. The judge has now extended his prison sentence.
Last week Knowles was sentenced to five years in prison for his actions, roughly double the number of years suggested under federal sentencing guidelines.
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