Leslie Jones hack under investigation by Homeland Security cyber crime unit

'Ghostbusters' Premiere
The perpetrators who hacked Leslie Jones’s personal iCloud photos and posted them to her website should be shaking in their boots because the Department of Homeland Security is on the case. TMZ reports that top cyber security experts are investigating to find the racist scumbags who so grossly violated Leslie’s privacy. We previously heard that the FBI was looking into this, but given how high profile the case is, and how egregious, I would assume that it was handed off to be solved as swiftly as possible. The sooner Homeland Security can bring these creeps to justice, the better their agency looks. This case is going to be pursued with all the tools available and I would bet they’re going to find and make an example out of this person/people. Here’s the story from NBC News along with a statement from the DHS.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a hack into Leslie Jones’ personal accounts, which included explicit photos, as well as her driver’s license and passport photos, being posted online.

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York has an open investigation into this matter. As a matter of agency policy, we are unable to disclose any details related to an active investigation,” the agency told NBC News in a statement.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a hack into Leslie Jones’ personal accounts, which included explicit photos, as well as her driver’s license and passport photos, being posted online.

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York has an open investigation into this matter. As a matter of agency policy, we are unable to disclose any details related to an active investigation,” the agency told NBC News in a statement.

The hackers juxtaposed images of the actress, perhaps best known for her roles in “Saturday Night Live” and “Ghostbusters” with photos of Harambe, a deceased gorilla. Filmmaker Paul Feig called the hack and comparisons an “absolute outrage” on Twitter on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, authorities charged a Pennsylvania man with hacking into the Apple and Google accounts of more than 100 people, many of them celebrities. That hacker, Ryan Collins, was charged with violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.

[From NBC News]

TMZ also reports that Leslie has worked with the DHS before, for a catfishing case, and that she has contacts there. It’s too bad that she had to go through that but that may mean they have a head start on this. The hackers are thought to be in Japan, although I don’t know where TMZ is getting that information or if the hackers are just clever at using VPNs/IP masking software.

This is a hate crime and this has absolutely nothing to do with “freedom of speech” on Twitter. This was about punishing a woman of color for refusing to be silent about the racism and sexism she was experiencing online. Fingers crossed that the perpetrators will be found and punished with significant jail time. Hopefully this will also lead to hate speech being all but eradicated from Twitter, it’s been ignored for way too long.

Leslie has not said anything on Twitter since this story broke. We #StandWithLeslie and are hoping she has friends and family around her to help keep her spirits up. I also hope this leads to a higher profile for the hardworking, gifted comedian and more career opportunities.

Meanwhile did you see that our future President tweeted Leslie?! I’m oddly reassured by this.

Stars On The Set Of The New "Ghostbusters" Movie

Celebrities Enjoy A Night Out At The Nice Guy

Sony Presentation At Cinema Con In Las Vegas

Photos credit: FameFlynet

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36 Responses to “Leslie Jones hack under investigation by Homeland Security cyber crime unit”

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  1. Cool Character says:

    There are such terrible people in the world.

    These people will be caught.

    Poor Leslie.

  2. Donna Martin says:

    #justiceforleslie

  3. HH says:

    This is awful. What’s wrong with people? 2016 has sucked the hope out of life for me. It’s emotionally exhausting.

    • Evie says:

      This year has been such a nightmare on a worldwide scale. I’m ready for it to be over already.

  4. Ninks says:

    I just love e Leslie Jones so much. I think she’s a wonderful person who deserves only the best things. The amount of shit she has been put through this summer is awful. I really hope this is a watershed moment in doi g something about online harresment but I won’t hold my breath.

    In the meantime, I just want to wrap Leslie in a big blanket, feed her chocolate and protect her from these little shits.

  5. Jess says:

    Such a horrible thing to happen to her. I hope they catch whoever is responsible.

  6. Lilacflowers says:

    I want to spend the weekend watching Game of Thrones with Leslie until she feels better

    • Lucy says:

      “You wanna know what a giant is? Here what a giant is, homie!” Sorry, had to. But yeah, I figured we could use some lighting up in this topic.

  7. Jess says:

    Leslie is so great and what happened is so awful. What she’s been forced to experience should put to rest any doubts anyone still has about how hard it is to be a black woman in this world.

  8. Lucy says:

    Good.

  9. Catherine says:

    I love Leslie so much, she made the olympics even more joyous! These people are scum of the earth. Leslie, they go low, we go high! Stay strong, funny and filled with joy ❤️❤️

  10. frosty says:

    No one on Twitter can claim 1st Amd protection since Twitter isn’t the government. Twitter needs to get it’s act together and alter its blocking code prevent trolls from referencing her or anyone else subject to attacks handle on Twitter. And doxing should be a federal crime, period.

    • Betsy says:

      I agree totally with your doxing point. I have no feelings for or against Leslie, but COME ON. I what’s more offensive: the harassment, the sexism, the racism, the doxing… it’s going to take a few more years to straighten out all the online rules and regulations and manners. I feel so bad for those caught in these earlier stages where the cowboys still prevail.

  11. Josefina says:

    I hope they are caught and justice is done for her. I just dont understand how people can have so much hate within them. I thought Ghostbusters was cringey in how unfunny, trite and unoriginal it was (like most summer blockbusters are tbh), but writing a negative review online is as far as I would go. It puzzles me how anyone could be that hateful. And it’s all anonymous. These fucking cowards.

    I hope Leslie finds the strength to go through all this. She’s been through so much completely undeserved crap these past months.

  12. La Ti Da says:

    They think the hacker was in Japan? I’m surprised by that honestly, but I guess hate doesn’t recognize borders. I’m glad DHS has stepped in for this particular case, but I’m really concerned this incident will be used to strip away more rights and introduce censorship. It is not about Free Speech, but that doesn’t mean the incident won’t be used to attack it either.

    • Mia4S says:

      Very unlikely they are in Japan, that’s a common IP address masking trick, bouncing between servers…but it’s not infallible, they will be found.

      No I have no doubt that this trash will turn out to be the usual. Poor “oppressed” (more like repressed) white dudes in their 20s and 30s sobbing about reverse racism and evil feminists from their basements in middle America. 🙄

      • Maire3 says:

        Mia4S: My imagined profile is “that guy” who is nursing a grudge against an unsuspecting girl from middle/high school/uni who wouldn’t dump her current boyfriend/lab partner/*whatever* just to be with HIM.

      • mary s says:

        + a million, @Mia! They’re also most likely Trump supporters who enjoy the hacking of Hilary’s stuff too! Definitely misogynist losers.

    • Nicole says:

      Probably not. Like someone said “smarter” trolls use VPNs and tricks to bounce their IP. It takes longer to pin down the actual computer but they will still find them.
      I’m still pretty sad that no one besides the Ghostbuster director defended her twice now while her costars are painfully silent. It actually makes me side eye them a lot.
      Hopefully she is surrounding herself with people she loves in this time. I’m sure it’s painful

      • La Ti Da says:

        If I were Leslie I’d ask my family, friends, and coworkers not to comment or respond whatsoever. It will only bring them into the line of fire and won’t help Leslie at all. As long as she knows they are truly have her back I think thats enough.

  13. liz_bee says:

    I’m so sad that Leslie has gone silent on this. She’s not one to back down. I’m hoping that she’s gathering her strength for something big. Or she’s waiting until the perps are caught and then she’ll burn them alive.

    • Sam says:

      She’s probably been advised to not say anything. These people thrive on attention. The more you give them, the bolder they become. This hack was probably their form of retaliation because she dared to stand up to them before. It’s very sad that she now is probably being told to stay quiet, but right now, that might be the best thing for her.

    • Maire3 says:

      I’d like to think that Leslie is having a sit down with SNL writers to sketch some comedy to get back at those knuckle-dragging-cowards. More #justiceforleslie

  14. Samtha says:

    This whole thing is so sickening. I hope they catch these bastards fast and throw several books at them. I hope they throw the whole library.

    • Brandy Armstrong says:

      This x’s a million. So horrified by this (yet unfortunately not surprised by it) but so so glad DHS is on it bc it’s gone way too far…

  15. Abbess Tansy says:

    Why do people do such horrible things to others? I’m so sick and tired of these misogynistic, racist, jerks. Just let her live her life and they wallow in their own miserable existence. I want to give Leslie a big hug, I see her like another sister.

  16. Sam says:

    Let’s hope they are inside the US, and not elsewhere. If they are located outside the US, then you have all these issues of extradition, how to get them here, etc. I hope that Leslie gets some justice through some route, whether that is criminal civil, whatever.

  17. TheOtherMaria says:

    I hope they get their asses.

    What was done to her is horrific and a complete violation of privacy! Their hated needs to met with swift and strict justice.

  18. Lama Bean says:

    The level of attack she is enduring reminds me of how much hate and vitriol was directed at Gabourey Sidibe when she first rocked her role in Precious.

  19. DavidBowie says:

    I hope they catch the scumbag(s) who did this to Leslie. I love her. She is a national treasure.

  20. Lambda says:

    The important thing is that Leslie will thrive and that she’s beloved by millions.

    But I have an almost personal need for retribution in this case, and I can’t wait to have that sleaze or sleazes in jail. I doubt they’re foreign hackers, much more likely he/they come from some 4chan/reddit cesspit.

  21. Robin says:

    This is just sickening. I hope they catch whoever did this. Poor Leslie, what awful things to have to deal with.

  22. mary s says:

    This is so upsetting. My heart goes out to her. 😔

  23. Kay says:

    You mean people are so outraged over the Ghostbusters remake with an all female cast in the first place that they do this sort of thing? Are they intimidated that a tall strong no nonsense Black female was also in the cast and the film turned out to be a hit?
    I dont feel sorry for Leslie because I know shell get through this no matter how hurtful and scarey it seems now. Stay strong beautiful. Leslie. There are more people that exist who love you than these despicable cowards on the internet–who I DO feel sorry for!