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Obtained cracked TorrentSpy data
The MPAA paid a hacker $15,000 for emails and passwords.
Robert Anderson cracked TorrentSpy's servers by simply guessing an administrative password and sold the information to the MPAA. He also hoped that it would be a way into the movie business for him.
The RIAA used the information to sue TorrentSpy. The MPAA admits it paid Anderson for the sensitive information, but insists that it didn't know it was stolen. The information included 36 pages of e-mails detailing banking, advertising and other confidential information, including passwords.
There was even the source code for TorrentSpy's backend software, which Anderson claims interested the MPAA because it is planning to set up a fake BitTorrent site of its own.
More here.