MICHAEL SCHEUER, a former Disney World employee, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for hacking into the park’s menu systems. The 40-year-old from Winter Park, Florida, must also forfeit his computer and pay $687,776.50 in restitution to the victims, as reported by Fox 35.
SCHEUER pleaded guilty to the charges in January 2024. He previously served as a menu production manager at Disney, responsible for creating and distributing all restaurant menus, including digital ones. He was terminated from his position on June 13, 2024.
The federal complaint revealed that SCHEUER made unauthorized changes to the menu systems, including removing vital allergy information, adding profanity, and altering pricing. The alterations included sending multiple login requests, which blocked several employees from accessing their accounts. Though none of the changes were published on printed or digital menus, the estimated damage exceeded $150,000. During an FBI raid on his home in September 2023, authorities seized multiple computers.
SCHEUER initially denied any wrongdoing, suggesting that Disney had fabricated the incident due to concerns over his termination. His attorney, DAVID HAAS, stated that SCHUER had a disability that affected his employment at Disney. He alleged that Disney failed to respond to inquiries about SCHEUER‘s suspension and later terminated his employment without explanation. HAAS added that SCHEUER had filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and was prepared to defend his client’s case vigorously.
The charges initially filed accused SCHEUER of knowingly transmitting harmful commands to a protected computer and causing over $5,000 in damages.
Source: [Fox 35](https://www.fox35orlando.com)