Michael Jackson Back Catalogue Stolen

Sony music has alleged that hackers have stolen 50,000 music files, most by the late Michael Jackson.

Two men arrested last May appeared in court on Friday accused of the alleged security breach, they deny the charges made under the Computer Misuse Act and the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

Jackson’s estate signed the rights to his back catalogue, including unreleased material, over to Sony in 2010 in a deal worth £164m ($250m), the biggest recording deal in history.

The allegations come less than a year after the names, addresses and other personal information of almost 77 million Playstation Network (PSN) users were stolen.

Sony was forced the shut down the PSN after an “illegal and unauthorised person” gained access to the information stored about its users.

Police investigators were called in while Sony promised it was taking steps to makes its network “safer and more secure than ever before”.

Home to a number of major recording artists including Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon and the Foo Fighters, it also distributes the music of Jimi Hendrix.

The accused will stand trial next January. Sony declined to comment.

(H/GK)