Former Reuters employee pleads not guilty to Anonymous charges

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:34:00 +0000

Matthew Keys -- the social media editor fired from his position at Reuters Monday for reasons he believes could be political -- pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges that he conspired with members of Anonymous to attack websites of the Tribune Co., his former employer.

According to the government's indictment, Keys provided Anonymous hackers with information including usernames and passwords to access Tribune Co. sites in late 2010, after he was fired from his job at a Tribune-owned station in Sacramento, Calif. Keys has rejected a plea bargain and, if found guilty, could face up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000. His attorneys argue that although Keys had communicated with Anons via online chat rooms, it was someone posing as the journalist who provided the Tribune Co. access to information.

"There's an incongruity to all of this that we're hoping to get to the bottom of in the next couple months," Keys' attorney Jay Leiderman told HuffPo.

Reuters’ Matthew Keys indicted for aiding Anonymous

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Updated, March 15.: According to the AP, Reuters has suspended Matthew Keys with pay. Keys took to Twitter to reassure friends that he is "fine." He noted, "I found out the same way most of you did: From Twitter. Tonight I'm going to take a break. Tomorrow, business as usual."

Original post: Matthew Keys, a deputy social media editor for Reuters, could face up to 25 years in prison. According to a Justice Department announcement Keys has been indicted for allegedly providing members of Anonymous with log-in credentials for a computer server belonging to the Tribune Company (where Keys formerly worked), according to the DoJ's press release.

Via the DoJ:

Salon.com > matthew keys

Former Reuters employee pleads not guilty to Anonymous charges

Reuters’ Matthew Keys indicted for aiding Anonymous