Frances Marie Eddings, Jude Denis, Computer Access for Money, Pennsylvania 2019

PHILADELPHIA – In a brazen scheme to receive a payment of money from a non-profit charity organization, two women have been convicted of accessing a company computer system without authorization for pecuniary gain.

Frances Marie Eddings, 68, of Orlando, FL, and Jude Denis, 54, of Wyncote, PA, were convicted after trial in the Allentown Federal Courthouse of conspiracy, unauthorized access to a computer, and aiding and abetting.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in September 2019, the defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of unauthorized access to a computer, and aiding and abetting, stemming from their scheme to receive a payment of money from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), Denis’ former employer.

Denis was hired by PCF in August 2014 but left her position shortly thereafter. The defendants accessed internal documents obtained via unauthorized access to the computer system of PCF and threatened to release them to the public in a series of emails sent by Eddings to PCF.

The defendants demanded a payment of $150,000 in lost wages for Denis, as well as a $37,500 payment for Eddings for acting on Denis’ behalf. When their demands were ultimately not met, Eddings sent a series of emails to the PCF Board, PCF donors, and members of the media, sharing her previous correspondence and attaching the documents.

“Cyber-intrusion is a threat to all types of businesses, including non-profits,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. “Individuals who take advantage of a company’s vulnerability like these defendants did shows how easily sensitive information can be compromised.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison Kehner and Kishan Nair.

The mandatory facts for this case are as follows:

Defendant/Respondent: Frances Marie Eddings and Jude Denis
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy, three counts of unauthorized access to a computer, and aiding and abetting
City and State: Allentown, PA
Exact Date: September 2019
Sentence or Outcome: Convicted after trial
Dollar Amounts: $150,000 in lost wages for Denis, $37,500 payment for Eddings

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