Confidential information on some 1,000 more District employees than originally thought was contained in the stolen laptop computer of an ING Financial Services agent, District officials learned Thursday.
In a public hearing, District officials announced that 14,131 former and current District employees’ personal information, including Social Security numbers, are compromised as a result of the June 12 theft. Published reports originally said that only 13,000 individuals were affected.
ING faces what could amount to $2 million in fraud protection services it must provide for affected employees and former employees, in addition to millions of dollars in lawsuit charges filed earlier this week.
“I assure you this was an anomaly,” ING Chief Counsel Jane Boyle said. “We are determined to take aggressive action to put in place the necessary safeguards.”
District officials are working to determine whether the incident constitutes a violation of the District’s contract with ING.
The laptop was not password protected or encrypted, which was in violation of ING’s policy and its contractual obligation to maintain the confidentiality of District participants.
“Our goal is to protect their credit and their identities,” said Lasana Mack, District deputy chief financial officer and treasurer. “And to get them quickly enrolled in the protection program and educated on the situation.”
ING has about 5,000 laptops in the public domain containing similar confidential information, ING reported.
Boyle said there are “a number of suspects” for the robbery, but MPA spokesman Janis Fletcher said they are not aware of any suspects at this point in the investigation.
