Scarlett Johansson Scandal: Is 'Hollywood Leaks' Behind Hacking Photos?
Scarlett Johansson is threatening to sue anyone who publishes any of the leaked, nude photos of her that were hacked from her mobile phone and are appearing across the web.
According to TMZ, her lawyer Marty Singer has written to various websites, warning of legal action.
The letter reportedly says: “The highly personal and private photographs at issue capture our client self-posing in her own home in a state of undress and/or topless.
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“If you fail to comply, you will be acting at your own peril. Please govern yourselves accordingly.”
The FBI is investigating the matter. It appears Scarlett Johansson is the most recent victim of a phone-hacking epidemic targeting female celebrities. Other stars that reported photos being stolen are Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Christina Aguilera.
Accusations are being aimed at a hacking group that calls itself "Hollywood Leaks". The group claimed in a series of YouTube postings that it was responsible for the celebrity hackings and that it has vague connections to hacking group Anonymous, a well-known hacking collective that according to Business Insider, was responsible for cyber attacks on the Pentagon, News Corp among others.
Hollywood Leaks YouTube video warns, "Attention Hollywood we are Anonymous. We have been watching you. We have been listening to you. You have been allowed to run free too long."
The organization told Gawker.com they are simply "here to facilitate the free flow of information."
Over the past few weeks, Hollywood Leaks has been responsible for a number of celebrity hacks. The distribution of the confidential script for the new Tom Cruise movie, "Rock of Ages” was linked to them as well as the topless photographs of VMA nominated rapper Kreayshawn and sharing them with her 300,000 Twitter followers.
Going far beyond what they dub the “free flow of information” and entering an absolute violation of privacy rights, Hollywood Leaks is also linked to the distribution of phone numbers of celebs including Ashley Greene, Joey Fatone, Lil Jon, and Mark Cuban.
"I can confirm that the FBI is investigating a series of computer intrusions targeting high-profile figures," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told the Los Angeles Times. "This would include many devices-could mean a computer, desktop, laptop, iPad, cell phone…intrusions into personal online accounts too.”
