FBI investigating source of stolen celebrity photos

FBI investigating source of stolen celebrity photos
(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

In the wake of a hack that led to private nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, and numerous other celebrities being disseminated over the internet this weekend, the FBI has confirmed that they are investigating the person or persons responsible for stealing and posting the pictures.

Lawrence herself contacted authorities when the images were posted on Sunday. "This is a flagrant violation of privacy," said her publicist in a statement. "The authorities have been contacted and will prosecute anyone who posts the stolen photos of Jennifer Lawrence."

The FBI didn't elaborate on the status of their investigation, but there is a precedent for this type of crime. Scarlett Johansson was the victim of a similar incident in 2011, and the hacker responsible for stealing and posting her pictures was eventually tracked down and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.