Ryan Collins, 36, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania plans to plead guilty for stealing nude photos of celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence.
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The man who allegedly stole hundreds of nude photos from celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence, Lea Michelle, and Kirsten Dunst, plans to plead guilty to hacking, authorities announced Tuesday.
As part of a deal with prosecutors, Ryan Collins, 36, will plead guilty to one felony for unauthorized access of a protected computer, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors say Collins — who lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania — used a phishing scheme between 2012 and 2014 that involved sending emails requesting username and password information from his targets. The emails were designed to look like they were from Apple and Google.
Once the targets responded, Collins allegedly used the information he received to steal personal information, including nude photos. He also used a computer program to download the entire contents of iCloud accounts.
Collins accessed at least 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, most of which belonged to female celebrities, prosecutors said.
While prosecutors believe Collins hacked and stole the photos, it's still unclear how those images made it onto the internet. Authorities say have not uncovered any evidence linking Collins to the actual leaks or that Collins shared or uploaded the information he obtained.
Collins faces a maximum of five years in prison, though as part of deal, prosecutors have agreed to recommend an 18-month sentence.
This is a developing story. Check back later and follow @BuzzFeedNews on Twitter for updates.
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