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Journalist Matthew Keys sentenced to 2 years for computer hacking

Anonymous-linked reporter was convicted in October.

 

William Turton

Tech

Posted on Apr 13, 2016   Updated on May 26, 2021, 10:55 pm CDT

Journalist Matthew Keys, who was convicted in October on three counts of computer hacking, was sentenced to 24 months in prison today. 

Keys was convicted of giving Anonymous-linked hackers the login credentials to the Los Angeles Times website. Those credentials were used to deface a headline on one article, making it read: “Pressure builds in House to elect CHIPPY 1337.” 

The federal government was seeking a five-year prison term. 

The sentencing turned out to be more dramatic than expected, and, for a moment, looked as if the judge may be lenient with Keys’s sentence. 

Sarah Jeong, a Motherboard reporter, livetweeted the trial. 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Keys’s lawyer, Jay Liderman, and will update should we hear back. 

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*First Published: Apr 13, 2016, 7:15 pm CDT