14 DAY TRIAL // The Israel Police, with the help of the FBI, arrested an individual believed to have stolen unfinished work of Madonna that was being prepared for the pop singer’s next album, Rebel Heart.
A number of 11 demo songs were leaked to different websites, causing a reaction from the artist, who posted on her social media account an image of a broken iPod saying that it represented her broken heart regarding the massive leak.
Investigation is ongoing
The police seized plenty of items from the suspect’s house, a 38-year-old man from Tel Aviv, many of them believed to be stolen materials from different artists; the final goal was financial in nature, as the hacker was planning to sell the loot.
According to the artist’s attorney in Israel, Tamir Afori, the items included unreleased songs and photos related to Madonna’s soon-to-be-released album, Haaretz publication learned.
The investigation is currently ongoing, as computer equipment seized from the suspect is to be analyzed in more detail.
Artist thanks Israel police, FBI and fans
Madonna took to Facebook to express her gratitude towards the efforts of law enforcement in catching the culprit.
“I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker. I deeply appreciate my fans who have provided us with pertinent information and continue to do so regarding leaks of my music,” she said.
The artist labeled the incident as an invasion of privacy, to which she has a right, just like any other citizen.
“This invasion into my life - creatively, professionally, and personally remains a deeply devastating and hurtful experience, as it must be for all artists who are victims of this type of crime,” the Facebook post added.
According to Lahav 433, a law enforcement agency similar to the FBI, the hacker managed to gain unauthorized access to the personal computer of the artist and stole the information, The Hollywood Reporter says.
It appears that Madonna was not the only artist whose work has been snatched by the cybercriminal, as other international singers fell victim to his hacking; however, other names have not been reported, yet.