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Former Disney Employee Allegedly Added Swearing and Errors to Computer Menus

Former Disney Employee Allegedly Added Swearing and Errors to Computer Menus

An old Walt Disney A federal criminal complaint alleges that a global employee inserted profanities and errors into the computer menus of an Orlando resort.

The complaint alleged that after the employee was fired, he hacked into Disney World’s servers and manipulated computer menus by inserting profanities, changing prices and altering notifications, falsely declaring that certain items were safe for people with allergies.

Disney intercepted menu changes before the menus were sent to restaurants, including allergen information that “could have fatal consequences depending on the severity of customers’ allergies,” according to the complaint.

The former worker was arrested last week following a police investigation. FBI.

What Did the Former Employee Say?

The former employee denied any wrongdoing when the FBI searched his home last month.

The former worker’s court-appointed attorney, David Haas, said Thursday that his client does not intend to plead guilty after a formal indictment is filed.

Disney World
Cars enter the Walt Disney World grounds in Orlando, Florida, on June 1, 2024. A former Walt Disney World employee added profanities and errors to the Orlando resort’s computer menus, a federal criminal complaint has been filed…


Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The former employee is currently being held in jail at least until a bond hearing scheduled for next week.

In a motion seeking the former worker’s release, Haas said his client has struggled with mental health issues since childhood and is currently seeing a psychiatrist.

“He is not receiving any mental health counseling or treatment in prison,” Haas said in his motion.

What Did Disney Say?

Disney said Thursday it had not spoken on the matter.

An internal investigation conducted by Disney revealed that the former employee was a potential suspect. Last June, he was fired from his job as menu production manager.

According to the criminal complaint, the termination was “considered controversial and unamicable,” and her job responsibilities included creating and publishing menus for Disney’s entire portfolio of restaurants.

Only employees in his or similar positions “could have had the access and knowledge to carry out the attacks,” the complaint said.

Disney World Food

Disney World is a global tourist destination. According to Road Genius, a company that compares car rental prices, more than 48.77 million people visited the facility in 2023. Road Genius said Magic Kingdom sees 17.72 million visitors in 2023, followed by EPCOT with 11.98 million visitors, then Hollywood Studios with 10.3 million visitors, and Animal Kingdom with 8.77 million visitors.

There are more than 400 dining options at Walt Disney World, including 25 fine/specialty dining restaurants, 13 dining options featuring Disney characters, 130 table service restaurants and 134 quick service options.

This article contains news from the Associated Press.