Israeli who hacked Madonna’s computer gets jail time

Adi Lederman, an Israeli who hacked the personal computer of Madonna’s manager and sold demos for songs from an as-yet unreleased album was sentenced to 14 months in prison, and a NIS 15,000 ($4,000) fine.

Lederman admitted that from the beginning of 2014 to his arrest in February this year he hacked the computer of Kevin Anthony, Madonna’s musical manager, as well as several other computers. Lederman pulled files for song demos for the album “Rebel Heart,” and parts of Madonna’s meeting schedule.

Lederman’s attorney, Efrat Nahmani-Bar, said Lederman is “an over-zealous fan who went a bit too far” and maintained that he did not cause any harm and did not breach Madonna’s privacy.

Lederman confessed to hacking the computer, to breaching Madonna’s privacy and to copyright theft.

Tel Aviv Magistrate Court Judge Tzachi Uziel wrote in his ruling that “the ease in committing such offenses for those who have the necessary skills, like the defendant, and the difficulty in exposing the offenses and the offender, necessitate an appropriate penalty which sends a deterrent, uncompromising message.”

He mentioned Lederman’s confession and lack of criminal history as mitigating circumstances.