Former Disney employee faces charges of tampering with Disney World menus and denial of service attacks

A man fired by Disney is accused of manipulating restaurant menus by gaining unauthorized access to menu technology used by Disney World and carrying out denial-of-service attacks against a handful of employees.

These allegations were made in a court filing filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida regarding a criminal complaint alleging that Michael Scheuer “tampered with the menus of restaurants owned and operated by Company A.” by hacking into the company's servers, a tool the company described as a “media and entertainment company” used for its restaurants.

According to the filing, the former Disney employee “allegedly manipulated allergen information on menus by adding information to some allergen messages that suggested certain menu items were safe for people with peanut allergies, when in fact they could be fatal for people with peanut allergies.” .” ” He also allegedly made “price changes” and added “swear words” to the menus.

Scheuer, a former “menu production manager” who was fired in mid-June for alleged “misconduct,” allegedly did this using a PC, according to the file.

People walk in front of Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida on May 31, 2024. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

404 Media and Court Watch reported Wednesday that “Company A” was Disney World, which Sheuer's attorney David Haas also told FOX Business. FOX Business reached out to Disney for comment on the court filings and Scheuer's alleged actions.

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According to the filing, none of the manipulated menus went to a restaurant.

Meanwhile, the denial-of-service attacks allegedly committed by Scheuer affected more than a dozen Disney employees and left them unable to access their accounts, the filing said.

ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 1: Cars drive onto the grounds of Walt Disney World on June 1, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Haas told FOX Business that the criminal charges “recognize that no one was injured or harmed by the menu changes.” He “looks forward to vigorously presenting my client’s point of view.”

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“Mr. Scheuer has an intellectual disability that impacted his employment at Disney. He also had a medical incident that led to his suspension,” the lawyer said. “Disney then did not respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended, and his suspension was inexplicably converted to termination. Disney refused to provide an answer as to why he was fired and made no allowance for his disability. He then filed an EEOC complaint.”

The cyberattack investigation included an FBI search of Scheuer's home, in which he denied both involvement and wrongdoing, the court filing said.

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According to the filing, Disney suffered an estimated $150,000 in damages as a result of Scheuer's alleged actions. They allegedly occurred over a period of three months.

Disney World is one of twelve Disney theme parks in six locations worldwide. Tens of millions of people visit the park in Florida every year.

A statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse stands in a garden in front of Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida on May 31, 2024. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Disney's parks and experiences brought the company revenue of $28.15 billion in 2023.