Post by daleko on Jul 18, 2016 16:39:03 GMT -5
www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/former-cardinals-scouting-director-sentenced-to-months-for-hacking-astros/article_442f4c83-0de3-5b45-9fe9-8cd3736b6827.html
Former Cardinals scouting director sentenced to 46 months for hacking Astros database
HOUSTON • The former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director who admitted he hacked accounts of the Houston Astros to gain insight into their operations was sentenced Monday afternoon to 46 months in prison.
Chris Correa pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer. As part of his plea, Correa admitted to using the accounts of three Astros employees to view scouting reports, amateur player evaluations, notes on trade discussions and proposed bonuses for draft picks. The information he accessed was given an estimated value of $1.7 million by the U.S. Attorney's office.
Correa, 36, also admitted taking measures to conceal his identity.
The sentence includes two years of supervised release and restitution payment of $279,038.65. He will remain free until he is to report to prison, in two to six weeks.
With the Correa case completed, the focus turns to what action Major League Baseball might take against the Cardinals. The team could face stiff penalties. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has broad powers to assess fines, limit draft spending, or confiscate draft picks.
Major League Baseball issued a statement shortly after the sentencing saying that it would now proceed with its own investigation:
"Now that the criminal process has been completed, Commissioner Manfred has asked the Department of Investigations to conduct a complete investigation of the facts in this matter, including requesting information from the appropriate law enforcement authorities. The Commissioner hopes that the investigation can be completed promptly to put him in a position to take appropriate action."
The Cardinals also released a statement shortly after the sentencing.
"As we did with the government during its investigation, we intend to fully cooperate with the commissioner's office in connection with its investigation so that this matter can finally be resolved," Cardinals chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. said in the statement.
During his guilty plea in court six months ago, Correa contended he hacked into the Astros accounts to see if former Cardinals employees had taken proprietary data or statistical models to use in their new positions with the Astros. Correa told prosecutors he found evidence that it did occur, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson told the Post-Dispatch at that time.
"It goes to his motive," Magidson said. On Monday, Magidson called his "investigation complete" and said that if MLB wishes to contact the U.S. attorney's office, "we'll listen to any request (for information) they have."
Giles Kibbe, general counsel for the Astros, said following the sentencing that Correa accessed the Houston team's database 60 times on 35 different days.
"I don't know what he saw or thought he saw," Kibbe said, adding that what is clear from listening to U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes during the sentencing is this: "The Astros were victims in this case."
Kibbe added that he will rely on Major League Baseball to now complete its investigation. "I have full faith in those actions," he said.
Houston and its general manager, Jeff Luhnow, who began his baseball career with the Cardinals more than a decade ago, have repeatedly denied that Luhnow or any other former Cardinals employees brought information to the Astros.
"The Astros refute Mr. Correa's statement that our database contained any information that was proprietary to the St. Louis Cardinals," the team said in a statement in January. Along with the U.S. attorney's investigation, in which no other member of the Cardinals' organizations was charged, the team completed an internal investigation; its outcome was Correa's dismissal a year
Former Cardinals scouting director sentenced to 46 months for hacking Astros database
HOUSTON • The former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director who admitted he hacked accounts of the Houston Astros to gain insight into their operations was sentenced Monday afternoon to 46 months in prison.
Chris Correa pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer. As part of his plea, Correa admitted to using the accounts of three Astros employees to view scouting reports, amateur player evaluations, notes on trade discussions and proposed bonuses for draft picks. The information he accessed was given an estimated value of $1.7 million by the U.S. Attorney's office.
Correa, 36, also admitted taking measures to conceal his identity.
The sentence includes two years of supervised release and restitution payment of $279,038.65. He will remain free until he is to report to prison, in two to six weeks.
With the Correa case completed, the focus turns to what action Major League Baseball might take against the Cardinals. The team could face stiff penalties. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has broad powers to assess fines, limit draft spending, or confiscate draft picks.
Major League Baseball issued a statement shortly after the sentencing saying that it would now proceed with its own investigation:
"Now that the criminal process has been completed, Commissioner Manfred has asked the Department of Investigations to conduct a complete investigation of the facts in this matter, including requesting information from the appropriate law enforcement authorities. The Commissioner hopes that the investigation can be completed promptly to put him in a position to take appropriate action."
The Cardinals also released a statement shortly after the sentencing.
"As we did with the government during its investigation, we intend to fully cooperate with the commissioner's office in connection with its investigation so that this matter can finally be resolved," Cardinals chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. said in the statement.
During his guilty plea in court six months ago, Correa contended he hacked into the Astros accounts to see if former Cardinals employees had taken proprietary data or statistical models to use in their new positions with the Astros. Correa told prosecutors he found evidence that it did occur, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson told the Post-Dispatch at that time.
"It goes to his motive," Magidson said. On Monday, Magidson called his "investigation complete" and said that if MLB wishes to contact the U.S. attorney's office, "we'll listen to any request (for information) they have."
Giles Kibbe, general counsel for the Astros, said following the sentencing that Correa accessed the Houston team's database 60 times on 35 different days.
"I don't know what he saw or thought he saw," Kibbe said, adding that what is clear from listening to U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes during the sentencing is this: "The Astros were victims in this case."
Kibbe added that he will rely on Major League Baseball to now complete its investigation. "I have full faith in those actions," he said.
Houston and its general manager, Jeff Luhnow, who began his baseball career with the Cardinals more than a decade ago, have repeatedly denied that Luhnow or any other former Cardinals employees brought information to the Astros.
"The Astros refute Mr. Correa's statement that our database contained any information that was proprietary to the St. Louis Cardinals," the team said in a statement in January. Along with the U.S. attorney's investigation, in which no other member of the Cardinals' organizations was charged, the team completed an internal investigation; its outcome was Correa's dismissal a year
