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The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe)

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The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#1 » by Mr. E » Tue Jun 16, 2015 3:24 pm

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/sports/baseball/st-louis-cardinals-hack-astros-fbi.html


RealGM Wiretap: viewtopic.php?f=418&t=1392853#start_here

WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. and Justice Department prosecutors are investigating front-office officials for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most successful teams in baseball over the past two decades, for hacking into the internal networks of a rival team to steal closely guarded information about player personnel.

Investigators have uncovered evidence that Cardinals officials broke into a network of the Houston Astros that housed special databases the team had built, according to law enforcement officials. Internal discussions about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports were compromised, the officials said.

The officials did not say which employees were the focus of the investigation or whether the team’s highest-ranking officials were aware of the hacking or authorized it. The investigation is being led by the F.B.I.’s Houston field office and has progressed to the point that subpoenas have been served on the Cardinals and Major League Baseball for electronic correspondence.
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#2 » by RaoulDuke79 » Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:52 pm

Crazy.

Their punishment should clearly be banishment to the AL West as the Astros reclaim their place in the NL Central, whilst also overturning the result of the 2004 NLCS and striking the Pujols 2005 NLCS HR off Lidge from the record books permanently.

That, and vast sums of money and prospects/draft picks.

Sounds about fair to me, at least.
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#3 » by Mr. E » Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:55 pm

Oh, swapping League's would be great!

Have they mentioned if this is linked to those leaks from last year (two years ago?) where trade and contract information got out?
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#4 » by RaoulDuke79 » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:38 pm

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/06/16/cardinals-astros-hacking?xid=si_social

Luhnow left the Cardinals for the Astros in December 2011. News of the breach first broke last June, with leaks posted online that detailed propriety Astros information from a 10-month period beginning with July 2013 trade deadline discussions. The investigation began after the Astros reported that breach.

Major League Baseball, which has been looped into the investigation by the FBI for the past year, is waiting for the feds to complete their work before deciding on any possible discipline.
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#5 » by Mr. E » Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:50 am

So last year's leaks led to this?

This is probably a bigger story than most realize right now. This is an Information Age scandal intruding on the most resistant to change sport in America.

The FBI and DOJ are involved. State lines are crossed. Confidential information may have been leaked.

We are only getting the tip of the iceberg right now, but my initial thoughts are that I feel sorry for all of those Cards fans who read these stories today and were all like... "WHY???"
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#6 » by Mr. E » Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:34 pm

"A fanatic is one who can't change their mind and won't change the subject."
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#7 » by RaoulDuke79 » Wed Jun 17, 2015 6:48 pm

Good article, thanks Mr. E.

Since it's been reported this was not a one time incident, I've read that the people responsible apparently can be charged with each separate incident.

I'm very curious to see what the response from MLB will be when all is said and done, on top of whatever government penalties are handed down(have to assume some folks will be seeing some jail time over this, right?).
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#8 » by Mr. E » Wed Jun 17, 2015 6:53 pm

That article is what got me from thinking "this is A story" to "this is THE story."

I know that we were joking around about compensation, but I don't think that's even on the radar at this point. MLB has a huge problem with the Cardinal Sin scandal.

COINING THAT PHRASE!!!
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#9 » by RaoulDuke79 » Wed Jun 17, 2015 7:10 pm

Oooooh, nice one. I should have thought of that first but I will let you have it and the glory that comes with it!

:D

Honestly though, I can't really see the Astros being compensated over this, at least not with draft picks/prospects. Perhaps financially, I suppose, but it doesn't really seem justified to take the Cardinals picks and give them to the Astros...

...having said that, don't listen to me MLB. If you feel you want to do that, well, you do what you have to do and I will support you, okay? Good talk.
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Re: Cardinals hacking the Astros? 

Post#10 » by Mr. E » Wed Jun 17, 2015 7:22 pm

I still think that your idea of switching Leagues is the way to go to compensate the Astros.

No draft picks, no money. Just a swap in the Standings.

But in seriousness, Astros compensation isn't in the discussion. The real question will be how hard MLB hammers the Cardinals for this. I read earlier that exclusion from the draft could be in the conversation.

Updated thread for new title.
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#11 » by RaoulDuke79 » Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:00 am

:D

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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#12 » by Mr. E » Thu Jul 2, 2015 9:24 pm

St. Louis has fired their scouting director over his role in the corporate espionage of the Astros.

I'm thinking that this is that organization trying to scramble & offer up a scapegoat.
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#13 » by RaoulDuke79 » Fri Jul 3, 2015 12:07 am

Interesting. I like the "but I only did it once" excuse.

Hey, he was only hacking into the Astros database to verify whether any data was stolen, and he only did it once. No big deal, right?

In a prepared statement, Correa lawyer Nicholas Williams wrote, "Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct. The relevant inquiry should be what information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to, or benefitted from that roguish behavior."


If I am reading that right, it's Luhnow and the Astros who are the guilty party in this case, not the Cardinals. Right?

Riiiiiiiiight.

:roll:
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#14 » by Mr. E » Fri Jul 3, 2015 3:31 am

Yeah, we're getting the first round of Legalese from the Cardinals now.
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#15 » by Mr. E » Fri Jan 8, 2016 8:59 pm

Former Director of Scouting for the Cardinals, Chris Correa, will be pleading guilty to charges today for his role in the Astro Hacking.
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#16 » by RaoulDuke79 » Sat Jan 9, 2016 12:55 am

Interesting.

So do you think he will see any actual jail time or just massive amounts of financial restitution?

What punishment will the Cardinals organization receive for this?
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#17 » by Mr. E » Sat Jan 9, 2016 1:56 am

Each count has a maximum of 5 years & $250,000.00. I think that the fine is optional, but I do think that there is a minimum sentence for each count.

Personally, I've got the feeling that this is part of a deal. He pleads guilty, gets the minimum in exchange for cooperation with an expanded probe. Either that or this may be it. Either way I think that the Cardinals lose several draft picks over the next few years.
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#18 » by RaoulDuke79 » Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:18 pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/former-cardinals-exec-sentenced-jail-hacking-astros-191659399--mlb.html

HOUSTON (AP) -- A federal judge sentenced the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals to nearly four years in prison Monday for hacking the Houston Astros' player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.

Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis. He was fired last summer and now faces 46 months behind bars and a court order to pay $279,038 in restitution. He had faced up to five years in prison on each count.


:nod:
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#19 » by Mr. E » Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:31 pm

I never thought that he'd get five years per count, but I at least thought he would get a full five years.

So, is this the end of the story? Could there be more to come?
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Re: The Cardinal Sin Investigation (FBI/DOJ Probe) 

Post#20 » by Mr. E » Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:27 am

From the Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt:

"While today's sentencing of Chris Correa marks the end of the Government's investigation, we also understand that the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball will now conduct its own investigation of this matter. As we did with the Government during its investigation, we intend to fully cooperate with the Commissioner's Office in connection with its investigation so that this matter can finally be resolved. Pending the outcome of the Commissioner's investigation, we will have no further comment."
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