An IT manager of a Canadian direct marketing firm has been accused of absconding with a copy of the company's customer database.
Affidavit filed with the British Columbia Supreme Court accuses Nick Belmonte, vice president of IT at C-W Group, of stealing a computer backup tape containing names and information about 3.2 million customers -- potentially worth more than $10 million. The tape also contained credit card and bank account information of more than 800,000 customers.
Belmonte had recently ordered another employee to bring three backup tapes to his office, where he made copies. Only two tapes were found on Belmonte's desk. The tape containing the customer library data was missing. Although the information on the backup tape was encrypted, the tape contained information and programs that would allow a knowledgeable user to decrypt the data
