Former Walt Disney World Cast Member Arrested on Xbox Child Pornography Charges
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WFTS ABC in Tampa is reporting that 22 year old Timothy Wayne Hammerstone of Polk County, a former cast member at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has been arrested on 16 counts of possession of child pornography. According to the story, Hammerstone was in correspondence with two ten year old boys via Microsoft Xbox Live and had convinced one of them to send him nude photos in exchange for points to be used on the Xbox marketplace (as per the report from the Orlando Sentinel). While both outlets report that police found sixteen images of child pornography on a USB flash drive, it is unclear how many of those photos are of the direct victim. As of the WFTS report, Hammerstone was sitting in Polk County jail on a $80,000 bond.
Walt Disney World Owes Cast Members Almost $450K Says U.S. Labor Department
The Associated Press is reporting that an investigation from the United States Department of Labor resulted in the decision that Walt Disney World owes 69 of its inventory control cast members in the food and beverage department $433,000 in back wages.
The report charges that the theme park resort violated the Fair Labor Standards Act because managers in the department failed to adhere to internal company policies regarding off-the-clock work. The time involved work performed by the cast members not only before and after scheduled work shift hours, but during meal times and from home as well.
Curiouser and Curiouser: Designer Sees Red, Sues Disney for Green
TMZ is reporting that designer Arman Mkrtchyan has filed a lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court against The Walt Disney Company on the grounds that his work was used in Walt Disney Studios’ Alice in Wonderland without any compensation. Claiming that the Red Queen’s throne is a virtual clone of his own piece (and that he in fact had designed a matching set, representing each suit), Mkrtchyan is suing Disney for a ‘designer’s fee’ in the amount of $50,000.
If the case does go to trial, don’t anticipate it to be scheduled on the same day the Knave of Hearts is finally brought to justice for stealing tarts.
Report: Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Disney Spied on Children
CNET News is reporting on a class action lawsuit recently filed on behalf on a group of minors and their parents which claims that Disney Internet Media Group (named as Walt Disney Internet Group) and Disney-owned Soapnet LLC along with co-defendants Warner Bros. Records, Ustream, Inc., Clearspring Technologies, Inc., Demand Media, Inc., Project Playlist, Inc., and SodaHead, Inc. were involved in tracking users’ internet activity even while accessing websites not owned by them.
Donald Duck Accused of Goosing a Guest at Walt Disney World, Claims Lawsuit
Earlier today, The Smoking Gun published a claim filed by April Magolon of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania which claims that while visiting Donald Duck at Epcot Center [sic] in 2008, Donald had deliberately grabbed her ‘breast and molest[ed] her and then made gestures making a joke he had done something wrong.’ Magolon, who reportedly had her children with her, is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for negligence and seeking in excess of $50,000, claiming to have suffered ‘severe physical injury, emotional anguish and distress including, but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder.’
Disney Loses ‘Millionaire’ Lawsuit to Tune of $270 Million
Back in February 2009, we reported on a lawsuit filed by Celador, creator of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, against The Walt Disney Company on claims that Disney cut its own internal deals and cut Celador out of the process, effectively denying the company of revenue it claims it was owned.
Recently the trial was held and the jury agreed with the game show’s creators, awarding Celador $269.4 Million in damages.
The Walt Disney Company is expected to appeal the decision. In an issued statement, Disney says, ‘We believe this verdict is fundamentally wrong and will aggressively seek to have it reversed.’
Orlando Officer Arrested for Illegally Selling Theme Park Tickets, Used Hotel Keys
According to WOFL, FOX Orlando, Orlando police officer Wendell Robey turned himself in this morning on charges that he illegally sold complimentary theme park passes. Investigators say Robey also sold used hotel key ‘add-ons’ so that guests could take advantage of certain perks limited to on-site guests such as Disney’s free parking and extra magic hour (EMH) access and Universal’s express line service for attractions. Robey was one of four that investigators were seeking out on related charges.
New Logo for California Adventure Theme Park Has Some Scratching Their Heads
Yesterday, Disney Parks revealed the new logo for its California Adventure theme park at the Disneyland Resort, which is famously undergoing some physical transformations as well.
Guests probably didn’t need it, but Disney helped point out a ‘name change’ as well. What once read as Disney’s (possessive), now reads as Disney. According to the comments on the blog as well as other places, guests are crying foul.
Disney Employee Arrested for Insider Trading; Claims Iger in Talks to Sell ABC
Bonnie Hoxie, an administrative assistant to Disney’s head of Corporate Communication, Zenia Mucha, was arrested earlier today along with her boyfriend Yonni Sebbag (a.k.a. Jonathan Cyrus) by the FBI on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud in an attempt to sell inside information on the company’s latest quarterly earnings report.
The duo allegedly sent emails via a gmail account to hedge funds and investment companies in New York. Posing as hedge fund investors, the FBI arranged to receive insider trading information from Sebbag in New York which included disclosing earnings per share hours prior to the public disclosure.
Disney Lets Wild Duck Roam Free Amongst University of Oregon Footballers
As we reported last November, the UO Duck (then potentially in some hot water) was operating under license by The Walt Disney Company for his one-time likeness to Donald Duck (and initially enacted by Walt Disney himself). As the UO Duck’s look has changed over the years, it’s fair to say that short of being pantless (which has been enough for Disney alone, just ask Marvel’s Howard the Duck), there is little resemblance to Mickey’s #2.
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