Hacker pleads guilty to stealing nude photos of stars

A 36-year-old man has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he hacked into online accounts belonging to female celebrities and stole explicit images and videos.

Ryan Collins, of Pennsylvania, will admit to a charge of gaining unauthorised access to a protected computer to obtain information. He hacked into more than 100 Apple and Google accounts, some belonging to Hollywood stars, between November 2012 and September 2014.

Collins obtained the accounts' log-in information in a phishing scam, sending his victims emails which appeared to come from Apple or Google in order to get them to provide private details. He then accessed stored files, including explicit photos.

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He is not accused of posting the naked pictures online during 2014's "Celebgate", the LA Times reports, when celebrities including actress Kirsten Dunst, model Kate Upton and Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence had their naked pictures and videos posted to online message board 4chan.

At least one victim, Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, said the images of her were taken when she was underage.

Lawrence, meanwhile, told Vanity Fair the leak was a "sex crime" and that anyone who looked at the pictures should "cower with shame".

None of Collins's victims were identified in the plea agreement, but Lawrence is not believed to be among them.

The FBI has been investigating Celebgate, looking for the hackers and posters believed to have orchestrated the theft and leak of the private files, some of whom have committed a federal offense.

Last month, another man pleaded guilty to similar charges. Andrew Helton, of Oregon, now faces prison for hacking into private accounts belonging to 13 people, some of them celebrities, and stealing explicit images.