Security News > 2022 > January > US arrests suspect who stole unpublished books in phishing attacks

According to a Department of Justice press release, 29-year-old Fillippo Bernardini allegedly impersonated agents, editors, and others involved in the publishing industry to steal manuscripts of unpublished books.

"Filippo Bernardini allegedly impersonated publishing industry individuals in order to have authors, including a Pulitzer prize winner, send him prepublication manuscripts for his own benefit," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.

FBI' New York Office Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll added that "Mr. Bernardini used his insider knowledge of the industry to get authors to send him their unpublished books and texts by posing as agents, publishing houses, and literary scouts."

The spoofed email addresses allowed him to impersonate real people from the publishing industry and ask for copies of forthcoming manuscripts from hundreds of authors and people involved in the publishing industry.

"These prepublication manuscripts are valuable, and the unauthorized release of a manuscript can dramatically undermine the economics of publishing, and publishing houses generally work to identify and stop the release of pirated, prepublication, manuscripts," the Department of Justice said today.

According to a report from The Guardian, authors targeted in Bernardini's multi-year scheme to steal unpublished manuscripts include Margaret Atwood, Sally Rooney, and Ethan Hawke.

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https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-arrests-suspect-who-stole-unpublished-books-in-phishing-attacks/