October 6, 2022
Paige Thompson, who was found guilty by a jury in June of wire fraud, unauthorized access to a protected computer and computer damage, was sentenced to a five-year probation with location and computer monitoring, and U.S. Attorney Nick Brown says the penalties are unsatisfactory.
Thompson was notorious for, among other things, raiding financial services company Capital One’s cloud storage and stealing the personal information of more than 100 million people, and her actions led to a $190 million settlement between Capital One and the individuals concerned and an $80 million fine from the Treasury Department.
According to reports, Judge Robert S. Lasnik said that much of the sentence he exerted was largely based on his belief that Thompson would not commit further crimes after promising to make positive and meaningful contributions to society in the future. Moreover, Ms. Thompson’s time in prison would be particularly difficult because of her mental health and transgender status.
Prosecutors, however, are seeking a harsher sentence, arguing that Thompson’s crimes were entirely premeditated and motivated by defiance, revenge and a deliberate disregard for the law.
According to U.S. Attorney Nick Brown, the court’s decision was not what justice looked like, and it was disappointing because her conduct deserved a harsher sentence.
The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.
