Sat Jan 04 02:38:14 UTC 2025: ## Dark Web Hacker Avoids Jail After Selling Stolen Music from Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, and Others
**Luton, UK** – A 22-year-old woman, Skylar Dalziel, has avoided prison after pleading guilty to illegally selling unreleased music from artists including Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, and Bebe Rexha. Dalziel, of Luton, made approximately £42,000 (Rs 44.75 lakh) selling over 290,000 songs obtained by hacking into cloud storage accounts.
Luton Crown Court sentenced Dalziel to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years, along with 180 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days. The prosecution highlighted Dalziel’s complete disregard for the artists’ work and the potential loss of earnings for both the musicians and record company employees. Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt emphasized the illegality of such actions and their impact on the music industry, noting that this type of crime contributes to significant job losses.
The investigation began after Sony Music Entertainment reported a security breach affecting an artist’s cloud account. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the Recording Industry Association of America traced the leaked songs to Dalziel’s online sales. A subsequent raid on her home recovered a hard drive containing the vast collection of stolen music. The court reviewed her PayPal and bank accounts, confirming the substantial financial gains from her illegal activity. The case serves as a stark warning regarding the consequences of digital copyright infringement.
First Piper 