A former Disney employee faces federal cybercrime charges after allegedly hacking into the park's menu system and falsely marking items containing peanuts as safe for people with allergies. According to prosecutors, Michael Scheuer, who worked as a menu production manager until his termination in June, used his access to Disney's internal menu system to alter allergy information, potentially endangering guests with severe peanut allergies. Alongside tampering with menu items, Scheuer is accused of launching cyber-attacks targeting Disney employees.
Disney Employee Charged With Malicious Hacking
The criminal complaint, filed in the US Middle District of Florida, outlines a series of malicious activities allegedly conducted by Scheuer after his termination. According to Court Watch and 404 Media, Scheuer's attorney, David Haas, confirmed his client's employment history with Disney but asserted that no harm had come to any guests due to the alleged tampering. Scheuer was taken into custody last Thursday, and a detention hearing set for Election Day will determine his custody status.
Haas, defending his client, stated, "The allegations acknowledge that no one was injured or harmed. I look forward to vigorously presenting my client's side of the story," as reported by the New York Post.
Tampering With Menus and Targeting Disney Employees
Prosecutors allege that Scheuer manipulated Disney's internal menu system to label dishes containing peanuts as allergen-free, a potentially life-threatening modification for guests with severe peanut allergies. Fortunately, Disney's security protocols detected the alterations before the menus reached guests. In addition to the menu tampering, Scheuer is accused of adding offensive language to menu descriptions, which further signalled his alleged unauthorised access to the system.
The alleged cyber-attacks went beyond the menu system. According to the complaint, Scheuer leveraged his former login credentials to access Disney's servers, leading to a series of digital intrusions. One of the most bizarre tactics involved changing all text in the menu creation system to the cryptic Wingdings font, rendering the menus unreadable for Disney staff. "As a result of this change, all of the menus within the database were unusable because the font changes propagated throughout the database," noted the complaint.
Scheuer also allegedly used another server to alter QR codes linked to Disney dining areas, redirecting them to an unrelated website, boycott-israel.org. This action reportedly created confusion among diners scanning QR codes for online menus and contributed to the disruptions caused by the alleged hacking.
Retaliatory Attacks and Employee Targeting
Scheuer's alleged activities appear to extend beyond menu tampering and digital sabotage. According to the federal complaint, he attempted to lock several Disney employees out of their accounts by repeatedly entering incorrect passwords. In total, 14 Disney employees were reportedly affected, the majority of whom had either interacted with Scheuer or were members of upper-level management at Disney. These actions, prosecutors argue, demonstrate a targeted pattern of harassment against his former colleagues.
The complaint also alleges that Scheuer launched multiple denial-of-service (DoS) attacks against four additional employees, further disrupting internal systems. In one instance, Scheuer reportedly maintained a folder containing personal information of Disney employees, including their home addresses, phone numbers, and relatives' contact details. This data was allegedly used to intensify his harassment campaign. On the night of October 22, surveillance footage from a Ring doorbell camera captured Scheuer at the home of one of his former colleagues, prompting the individual to seek temporary accommodation at a hotel for safety, per reports from the New York Post.
Disney's Legal Troubles and Allergy-Related Incidents
This incident is not the only recent case involving allergy-related allegations at Disney. In October 2023, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Disney after the tragic passing of Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, a New York University Langone physician who reportedly suffered a fatal allergic reaction while dining at a Disney Springs restaurant. The lawsuit claims that Dr. Tangsuan, who had severe nut and dairy allergies, informed her waiter at Raglan Road Irish Pub about her dietary restrictions. According to the lawsuit, the waiter consulted with the chef to confirm allergen-free options.
Tragically, Dr. Tangsuan experienced respiratory distress shortly after the meal, collapsed at Planet Hollywood, and later succumbed to anaphylaxis. A medical examiner attributed her death to elevated levels of dairy and nuts in her system. Initially, Disney sought to dismiss the lawsuit, citing a Disney+ subscription agreement, which allegedly included a clause restricting legal actions against the company. However, public backlash led Disney to reverse its stance on the case, per reports from the New York Post.
