A 22-year-old New Jersey woman accused of hacking the email accounts of singer/actress Selena Gomez and one of her associates and stealing their digital property pleaded not guilty Monday to felony charges.
Susan Atrach appeared before a Superior Court judge in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to enter her plea to five felony counts each of identity theft and accessing and using computer data to commit fraud or to control money, property or data, and one felony count of accessing and using computer data or taking supporting documentation without permission.
She was released on her own recognizance on the condition that she not use anyone else’s identity online. She was ordered to return to court on Oct. 22, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
Atrach allegedly accessed email accounts belonging to Gomez and her associate several times between June 2015 and February 2016. The defendant allegedly obtained stored media that she posted online and shared with other people, according to Deputy District Attorney Ben Forer.
The Ridgefield Park, N.J. resident could face up to nine years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.