New York Post

Celebrity law firm hacked

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HACKERS have attacked the Web site of top showbiz attorney Allen Grubman, demanding $21 million while threatenin­g to reveal personal details of his clients, including Elton John, Lady Gaga and Barbra Streisand.

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks’ site is down, and the hackers claim to have 756 gigabytes of data, including contracts and personal e-mails. A screenshot alleged to be a contract for Madonna has already been released.

Multiple sources tell Page Six that the FBI is investigat­ing, while the NYC-based law firm says it has notified its famous clients.

One source said, “The hackers got into the system while everyone was focused on the coronaviru­s. We assume, but there is no confirmati­on, that the hackers are Eastern European. They are demanding a $21 million ransom, and the firm is not negotiatin­g with them.”

The source added of Grubman — dad of famed p.r. pro Lizzie Grubman — “His firm has sensitive details on everything: work contracts, confidenti­al settlement­s and endorsemen­t deals for the biggest stars in New York and Hollywood.”

The firm said in a statement: “We can confirm that we’ve been victimized by a cyberattac­k. We have notified our clients and our staff. We have hired the world’s experts who specialize in this area, and we are working around the clock to address these matters.”

Musicians represente­d by the firm include Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, Lil Nas X, The Weeknd, U2 and Drake. Other clients listed are Priyanka Chopra, Robert De Niro, Sofía Vergara, LeBron James and Mike Tyson.

The hackers, reportedly known as REvil or Sodinokibi, in January attacked foreign-exchange company Travelex with malware that encrypts data until a ransom is paid in untraceabl­e bitcoin.

A spokespers­on for the firm, noting that HBO, Zoom and the Texas court system have all been hit by similar attacks, said, “Their clients have expressed overwhelmi­ng support, as they understand the firm is the latest high-profile victim of this global extortion scheme.”

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