02 December 2008

The selling of celebrity medical records

An ex-Los Angeles hospital worker has pleaded guilty to selling medical files of stars including Britney Spears and Farrah Fawcett to a newspaper.

Prosecutors said Lawanda Jackson had been paid at least $4,600 (£3,000) by the National Enquirer for the details from the UCLA Medical Center...

She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 (£165,000) fine for breaking medical privacy laws for commercial purposes...

United States Department of Justice spokesman Thom Mrozek said an investigation into privacy breaches was focusing, in part, on the role of the media. "Certainly there is possible culpability at media outlets if we can determine that they were knowingly paying for the illegal access of celebrity files," he added.
TYWKIWDBI's cynical prediction: no one at the National Enquirer will "face up to 10 years in prison." Maybe a fine and a warning not to do that again, you bad boys...

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