The Israeli Magistrate Court has sentenced an outsourced worker, “Mr. Lever,” to 18 months in prison and six months’ probation for stealing and sharing the Population Registry Database, the Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority said in statement. Lever was also fined roughly $25,000 and “charged with an invasion of privacy,” the report states.

The database contains the personal information of all Israeli citizens, living and dead. Lever stole the information and shared it with five other unnamed defendants, one of whom allegedly created an app to search and develop reports within the database, the report adds. However, it was Lever who confessed in court to making the information more widely accessible to the public, using false names and various technical cloaking devices.

The other defendants were also found guilty of invading privacy. “Four … have already been sentenced to community service and imprisonment, according to their role in the case, and another defendant was convicted and is awaiting his verdict,” the report states.

The conclusion of a high-profile case in the Israeli media, the investigation was seen as an example of “the strong investigation powers and robust forensic capabilities of ILITA’s investigation unit,” the statement adds. The ILITA has such capabilities under Israel’s Privacy Act, and enforces the legislation’s regulations regarding data protection. 

Full Statement here [PDF]: הודעה בענין אגרון - אנגלית