The data theft is thought to be one of the largest ever.
Scott Levine, 45, of Boca Raton, Florida, ran Snipermail.com, an
email marketing company. He was indicted in July last year on 144
counts that included conspiracy, access device fraud, money
laundering and obstruction of justice, after investigators traced
an intrusion into Acxiom’s database back to his firm’s computer
system.
Further investigation suggested that, beginning in April 2002,
individuals employed at Snipermail had obtained access to Acxiom's
databases, and by spring 2003, started regularly accessing large
data files and downloading them.
According to reports, Levine was found guilty on 120 counts of
accessing data without authorisation – for which he faces a maximum
sentence of five years in jail and a $250,000 fine per count.
He was also convicted on two counts of access device fraud, each
of which brings a maximum sentence of 10 years prison and a
$250,000 fine, and one count of obstruction of justice, which could
earn him 20 years in prison and another $250,000 fine.
Levine was acquitted of charges relating to money laundering and
conspiracy.
