Microsoft “Search Expert” Stole Code from Altavista

CNN reports:

Laurent Chavet, 29, was arrested by FBI agents a week ago in Redmond, Washington, acting on a warrant issued in San Francisco. The U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of California alleges that Chavet hacked into AltaVista’s computer system to obtain software blueprints called source code and recklessly caused damage to AltaVista’s computers.

Microsoft spokeswoman Tami Begasse said Friday that Chavet, who lives in suburban Kirkland, is an employee of Microsoft.

[…]

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, citing anonymous sources, reported for Friday editions that Chavet had been working on Microsoft’s MSN Search effort.

(Via Kottke.)

★ Monday, 12 July 2004