newsmakers

newsmakers

Hackers allegedly steal stars’ music

BERLIN

Two German hackers allegedly stole pop songs from Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Kesha and Kelly Clarkson, selling them online and forcing the advanced release of several singles, officials said Friday.

A 17-year-old student and a 23-year-old unemployed man allegedly used Trojan viruses to hack into the artists’ computers for about 12 months before being discovered, Duisburg chief prosecutor Rolf Haferkamp told The Associated Press.

During that time, they earned more than $13,240 in illegal sales of tracks acquired from the stars’ computers.

The student, an amateur DJ known as “DJ Stolen,” also allegedly downloaded a sexually compromising photo of one artist and used it to blackmail her. Haferkamp would not comment on which artist it was.

Haferkamp said the police were informed of the hacking after a fan of Kelly Clarkson’s alerted her management that unreleased songs of the singer were being sold online.

Person of interest in slaying was ex-con

LOS ANGELES

The man who killed himself in front of police investigating publicist Ronni Chasen’s death is identified in California legal documents as an ex-con who served time for robbery.

The document obtained Friday by The Associated Press says 43-year-old Harold Martin Smith was released from prison in 2007 and discharged from parole last year.

Court documents indicate Smith had a lengthy criminal past that included arrests for felony burglary and other offenses.

Beverly Hills police have labeled the suicide victim only as a person of interest in Chasen’s death. The publicist was fatally shot as she drove home from a party after a movie premiere.

‘Godfather’ house for sale for $2.9M

NEW YORK

The eight-bedroom New York City mansion used in the 1972 mobster epic “The Godfather” is for sale.

The owners of the Staten Island home are asking $2.9 million — or an offer they can’t refuse.

The movie was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It starred Marlon Brando as the fictitious mobster Vito Corleone and actors Al Pacino and Robert Duvall. Scenes were filmed inside and outside the 4-acre estate.

Owner James Norton says his mother kept many artifacts from the movie, including Brando’s cue cards.

The house features two fireplaces, a basement pub, a four-car garage and an in-ground pool.

Realtor Connie Profaci says it needs some work, but the family is betting on the house’s history as a selling point.

Viacom appeals YouTube ruling

SAN FRANCISCO

Viacom Inc. is seeking to overturn a court decision that dismissed its claims of copyright abuse against YouTube even though the Internet video site used to show thousands of pirated clips.

The challenge filed Friday in a federal appeals court in New York had been expected since a June ruling rebuffed Viacom’s copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube and its owner, Google Inc.

Viacom’s renewed effort to collect more than $1 billon in alleged damages from Google is the latest twist in a closely watched legal battle that already has dragged on for nearly four years.

The case revolves around the premise that YouTube became the world’s leading online video channel after its 2005 inception by turning a blind eye to the rampant piracy on its site.

Vindicator wire services