UK tabloid accused of payouts after tapping phones of celebrities, politicians
By APThursday, July 9, 2009
UK tabloid accused of payouts after phones tapped
LONDON — A British newspaper is reporting that a Sunday tabloid paid out more than 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) in out-of-court settlements after violating the privacy of celebrities and politicians.
The Guardian reported Thursday that journalists at the tabloid News of the World used private investigators to hack into private voicemail messages.
The Guardian says the tabloid used the information to “gain unlawful access to private data, including tax records, social security files, bank statements and itemized phone bills.”
In 2006, the tabloid’s royal editor was jailed for four months for hacking into royal officials’ voicemail systems.
The tabloid is owned by News International Ltd., a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. The company declined comment.
