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| Companies accused of using rogue private eyes face investigation | Companies accused of using rogue private eyes face investigation |
| (17 days later) | |
| An official watchdog has launched an investigation into nearly 100 companies and individuals who are accused of hiring rogue private investigators to gather information. | An official watchdog has launched an investigation into nearly 100 companies and individuals who are accused of hiring rogue private investigators to gather information. |
| The information commissioner, Christopher Graham, announced on Monday that his office had opened the investigation after it was handed a confidential list of 98 companies and people by police last week. | The information commissioner, Christopher Graham, announced on Monday that his office had opened the investigation after it was handed a confidential list of 98 companies and people by police last week. |
| The list, which includes law firms, insurance companies, and firms in the oil and drug industries, was compiled by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) as part of its inquiry into private eyes and the "blagging" of personal information. | The list, which includes law firms, insurance companies, and firms in the oil and drug industries, was compiled by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) as part of its inquiry into private eyes and the "blagging" of personal information. |
| The so-called "blue-chip hacking" list, drawn up during Soca's Operation Millipede, which led to the conviction of four private detectives for fraud last year, was recently subject to a row over transparency after it was handed to MPs on condition the names were not published. | The so-called "blue-chip hacking" list, drawn up during Soca's Operation Millipede, which led to the conviction of four private detectives for fraud last year, was recently subject to a row over transparency after it was handed to MPs on condition the names were not published. |
| The list has become controversial following claims that companies other than those in the media hired private investigators to hack and obtain secret information to promote their businesses. | The list has become controversial following claims that companies other than those in the media hired private investigators to hack and obtain secret information to promote their businesses. |
| The information commissioner will now examine whether the firms have broken the Data Protection Act. | The information commissioner will now examine whether the firms have broken the Data Protection Act. |
| According to a statement by the information commissioner, his investigators will seek "to establish what information the private investigators provided, and whether the clients were aware that the law might have been broken to obtain that information". | According to a statement by the information commissioner, his investigators will seek "to establish what information the private investigators provided, and whether the clients were aware that the law might have been broken to obtain that information". |
| If convicted, the firms could be fined up to £500,000. However, the watchdog may face an obstacle in bringing prosecutions as it estimated that as many as a quarter of the firms suspected of being involved in the trade may have been based outside Britain and therefore outside of its jurisdiction. | If convicted, the firms could be fined up to £500,000. However, the watchdog may face an obstacle in bringing prosecutions as it estimated that as many as a quarter of the firms suspected of being involved in the trade may have been based outside Britain and therefore outside of its jurisdiction. |
| The information commissioner was given more than 20 files last week by Soca, including correspondence between the firms on the list and the private investigators, and receipts of payments. His office said details of nine other firms had been withheld by Soca, following a request by the Metropolitan police, as they "relate to ongoing police investigations". | The information commissioner was given more than 20 files last week by Soca, including correspondence between the firms on the list and the private investigators, and receipts of payments. His office said details of nine other firms had been withheld by Soca, following a request by the Metropolitan police, as they "relate to ongoing police investigations". |
| The list of firms is not being disclosed for the time being by the information commissioner until he can assess the quality of the evidence against them. | The list of firms is not being disclosed for the time being by the information commissioner until he can assess the quality of the evidence against them. |
| Soca has been criticised for keeping the list secret for several years. The agency only recently passed on the list to MPs on the home affairs select committee as part of a parliamentary inquiry into private investigators on condition that those on it were not named. | Soca has been criticised for keeping the list secret for several years. The agency only recently passed on the list to MPs on the home affairs select committee as part of a parliamentary inquiry into private investigators on condition that those on it were not named. |
| Soca says the list must remain confidential as it is not alleging that the firms or individuals on it have committed a crime. | Soca says the list must remain confidential as it is not alleging that the firms or individuals on it have committed a crime. |
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