Scott Levine
Encyclopedia
Scott Levine is an American who on July 22, 2004, was charged with the largest computer crime
indictment
in United States history. Federal prosecutors alleged that Levine unlawfully accessed database
s of consumer data aggregator
Acxiom
to steal detailed personal information
about millions of persons; 1.6 billion database records were stolen.
Levine, who had been the CEO of Snipermail.com, had accessed Acxiom's computers through a legitimately contracted account, but used a flaw in their security to increase his access. Prosecutors claim that he planned to aggregate the stolen data with Snipermail's existing database, and then offer to sell Snipermail to credit rating
company Experian
.
In Little Rock, Arkansas
, on August 12, 2005, Levine was convicted of 120 counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer, two counts of access device fraud
, and one count of obstruction of justice
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/levineConvict.htm. He was sentenced on February 22, 2006, to 8 years in prison by U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/February/06_crm_088.html As a federal prisoner he is ineligible for parole
.
This was not the first time that Levine had run into problems with the law. Before Snipermail.com, Levine was a principal owner of a company called Friendly Power. On July 17, 1998, the Securities and Exchange Commission
obtained an order halting on-going sales of unregistered Friendly Power Company securities by three Florida boiler rooms
and a group of Florida companies. The SEC alleged that the defendants fraudulently sold about $5 million of unregistered securities to approximately 300 mostly elderly investors.
Computer crime
Computer crime, or cybercrime, refers to any crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target. Netcrime refers to criminal exploitation of the Internet. Such crimes may threaten a nation’s security and financial health...
indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in United States history. Federal prosecutors alleged that Levine unlawfully accessed database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
s of consumer data aggregator
Data mining
Data mining , a relatively young and interdisciplinary field of computer science is the process of discovering new patterns from large data sets involving methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and database systems...
Acxiom
Acxiom
Acxiom is a global interactive marketing services company that uses consumer data, analytics, information technology, data aggregation, data integration, and consulting solutions to help companies conduct direct marketing programs...
to steal detailed personal information
Consumer privacy
Consumer privacy laws and regulations seek to protect any individual from loss of privacy due to failures or limitations of corporate customer privacy measures...
about millions of persons; 1.6 billion database records were stolen.
Levine, who had been the CEO of Snipermail.com, had accessed Acxiom's computers through a legitimately contracted account, but used a flaw in their security to increase his access. Prosecutors claim that he planned to aggregate the stolen data with Snipermail's existing database, and then offer to sell Snipermail to credit rating
Credit rating
A credit rating evaluates the credit worthiness of an issuer of specific types of debt, specifically, debt issued by a business enterprise such as a corporation or a government. It is an evaluation made by a credit rating agency of the debt issuers likelihood of default. Credit ratings are...
company Experian
Experian
Experian plc, formerly known as CCN Systems, is a global credit information group with operations in 36 countries. The company employs 15,500 people with corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and operational headquarters in Nottingham, England and Costa Mesa, California, US...
.
In Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, on August 12, 2005, Levine was convicted of 120 counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer, two counts of access device fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, and one count of obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/levineConvict.htm. He was sentenced on February 22, 2006, to 8 years in prison by U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/February/06_crm_088.html As a federal prisoner he is ineligible for parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
.
This was not the first time that Levine had run into problems with the law. Before Snipermail.com, Levine was a principal owner of a company called Friendly Power. On July 17, 1998, the Securities and Exchange Commission
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is a federal agency which holds primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, the nation's stock and options exchanges, and other electronic securities markets in the United States...
obtained an order halting on-going sales of unregistered Friendly Power Company securities by three Florida boiler rooms
Boiler room (business)
In business, the term boiler room refers to a busy centre of activity, often selling questionable goods by telephone. It typically refers to a room where salesmen work using unfair, dishonest sales tactics, sometimes selling penny stock or committing outright stock fraud...
and a group of Florida companies. The SEC alleged that the defendants fraudulently sold about $5 million of unregistered securities to approximately 300 mostly elderly investors.