Scotland Yard Launches Inquiry into Email Deletion Amid Phone-Hacking Scandal
Scotland Yard has initiated a preliminary inquiry into the deletion of tens of millions of emails connected to the British phone-hacking scandal that significantly impacted Rupert Murdoch’s media empire over a decade ago. This inquiry could potentially implicate both current and former executives of News Corp, including the CEO of The Washington Post, as investigators examine whether these deletions were intended to obstruct justice.
The development is poised to reopen a tumultuous chapter in the history of British journalism and politics. For years, journalists and private investigators engaged in unethical practices, securing scoop after scoop by clandestinely intercepting the voicemail messages and accessing the phone and banking records of celebrities, business leaders, politicians, and countless others.
This scandal led to the eventual downfall of Murdoch’s popular tabloid, News of the World, and resulted in numerous criminal charges and extensive civil lawsuits. Many victims of the hacking have long argued that Murdoch’s UK company, News UK, took steps to improperly delete emails in an effort to mitigate the repercussions of these illegal activities. The company, however, vehemently denies these allegations.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was a target of hacking and other covert reporting methods, has recently called for a renewed investigation. He references ongoing civil litigation involving Prince Harry and other victims of phone hacking, which has brought to light new evidence regarding the destruction of approximately 30 million company emails.
A protester, donning a mask of James Murdoch, made headlines by demonstrating outside the court in London in April 2012, highlighting the ongoing public outcry regarding this scandal.
