Bucks Players' Financial Documents Reportedly Compromised in Security Breach
May 19, 2016
The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly had a security breach in which sensitive information was released, including financial compensation, Social Security numbers and home addresses.Β
Per Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Bucks sent a mass email to players Wednesday night explaining that an unnamed employee distributed W-2 documents from 2015 after "an unknown party requested the private documents on April 26." Team president Peter Feigin was also impersonated as part of the scam.
Charania reported the Bucks eventually discovered the party who received the information was a "spoof hacker."
The Bucks released a statement on the incident:
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are also reportedly involved in the investigation, according to Charania.
One agent whose client plays for the Bucks told Charania that what happened is "unacceptable" and the team must take action:
The players need to know the exact measures being taken by the Bucks and the FBI to ensure each and every player's identity and financial information will not be compromised. There needs to be accountability for such a mistake, details on the steps taken to rectify it and a process put in place to make sure this never happens again.
Charania added the Bucks gave players "two free years of credit monitoring and identity-theft restoration services." He said there could be "severe consequences" as a result of this sensitive information being released.Β
The Bucks had 17 players under contract for the 2015-16 season who combined to make $73.8 million, perΒ HoopsHype.com.
The team went 33-49 this past season, missing the playoffs after a surprise postseason appearance the previous year.