A 39 year old Israeli man has been arrested by Israeli police for stealing music from several musicians including Madonna. He released Demos from Madonna’s upcoming album “Iconic” on line back on December 17th.
Madonna released a statement thanking the police and sharing how deeply she had been wounded by this invasion of her privacy. The new album, which had been scheduled originally for a later release, will now go on sale as early as next week, Israel Radio reported.
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At the time the Material Girl stated, “This is artistic rape!! These are early leaked demos, half of which won’t even make it on my album.”
Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that the culprit was caught as part of a joint effort with the FBI. She said that “The Tel Aviv resident, born in 1976, was believed to have stolen work from a number of artists and sold it online. We have confiscated many materials and computer equipment from the suspect’s house and investigations are still under way.”
Tamir Afori, Madonna’s attorney in Israel, told Haaretz that the stolen materials included “songs that haven’t yet been released, sketches of songs, photos and other personal material.”
About the arrest the singer posted on her Facebook page the following comment, “I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker. I deeply appreciate my fans who have provided us with pertinent information and continue to do so regarding leaks of my music. Like any citizen, I have the right to privacy. This invasion into my life – creatively, professionally, and personally remains a deeply devastating and hurtful experience, as it must be for all artists who are victims of this type of crime.”
“This case highlights the international scope of online criminal activity and the need for close cooperation between nations as we collectively identify and bring to justice those who pose a threat in cyberspace, ” the FBI said.
The accused man’s identity has not yet been released.
Madonna – Rebel Heart (Acoustic Demo) by NothingBubeat
