UCLA medical employee pleads guilty to selling stars medical records

A former employee of UCLA Medical Center pleaded guilty yesterday to selling information from the medical records of celebrities, including Britney Spears and Farrah Fawcett, to the National Enquirer.

Lawanda Jackson, 49, entered her plea to the felony charge of violating federal medical privacy law for commercial purposes in U.S. District Court.

She faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing is set for May.

Lawanda Jackson worked as an administrative specialist at the UCLA hospitals for 32 years and in recent years began using her supervisor’s password to access medical records inappropriately, authorities said. The National Enquirer deposited checks totaling at least $4,600 into her husband’s checking account beginning in 2006. She resigned in July 2007 before she could be fired.

State officials have disclosed that records for Spears, Fawcett and California first lady Maria Shriver were among those breached.

From: perezrevenge