LA attorney to likes of Lady Gaga, Elton John hacked, files held for ransom
Hackers have attacked the Web site of top showbiz attorney
Allen Grubman, demanding $21 million while threatening to reveal personal
details of his clients including Elton John, Lady Gaga and Barbra Streisand.
Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks’ site is down, and the
hackers claim to have 756 gigabytes of data including contracts and personal
e-mails. A screenshot alleged to be a contract for Madonna has already been
released.
Multiple sources tell Page Six that the FBI is
investigating, while the NYC-based law firm says it has notified its famous
clients.
One source said, “The hackers got into the system while
everyone was focused on the coronavirus. We assume, but there is no
confirmation, that the hackers are Eastern European. They are demanding a
$21 million ransom, and the firm is not negotiating with them.”
The source added of Grubman — the father of famed public
relations pro Lizzie Grubman — “His firm has sensitive details on everything —
work contracts, confidential settlements and endorsement deals for the biggest
stars in New York and Hollywood.”
The law firm said in a statement: “We can confirm that we’ve
been victimized by a cyberattack. 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.”
Musicians represented by the firm include Barry Manilow, Rod
Stewart, Lil Nas X, The Weeknd, U2 and Drake. Other clients listed are Priyanka
Chopra, Robert De Niro, Sofía Vergara, LeBron James and Mike Tyson.
The hackers are reportedly known as REvil or Sodinokibi, and
in January attacked foreign exchange company Travelex with malware that
encrypts data until a ransom is paid in untraceable cryptocurrency bitcoin.
A spokesperson for Grubman’s law firm added, noting that
HBO, Zoom and the Texas Court system have all been victims of similar attacks,
“Their clients have expressed overwhelming support as they understand the firm
is the latest high-profile victim of this global extortion scheme.”
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