A former Disney employee is accused of hacking into menu-creating software used by the company’s restaurants to falsely indicate that certain food items did not contain peanuts. Michael Scheuer, who was terminated, is accused in a federal criminal complaint of causing damage without authorization by transmitting a program to a protected computer.
Scheuer, a former menu production manager at Walt Disney World, was responsible for creating and publishing menus for the company’s restaurants. He was fired in June for alleged misconduct, leading to a contentious termination. After his firing, he allegedly accessed the software from a personal device over a three-month period, making changes to menu prices and adding profanity.
The complaint states that Scheuer also altered allergen information on menus, falsely indicating that certain menu items were safe for individuals with peanut allergies. Federal agents searched Scheuer’s home and seized four personal computers. Scheuer denied wrongdoing, claiming Disney was framing him due to concerns about his termination conditions.
Scheuer admitted to using his personal Google Chrome profile for work while employed but was unsure if he accessed Disney’s systems post-termination. Disney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An attorney for Scheuer stated that no harm was caused, emphasizing his client’s disability and alleging Disney’s lack of response to his termination inquiries led to an EEOC complaint.
