BP loses laptop with private info on 13,000 people
A BP laptop computer containing the private information of about 13,000 individuals who filed oil-related claims after last year's oil spill has been lost, according to the oil giant. The laptop contained names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and Social Security numbers for those who filed claims related to last year's Deepwater Horizon spill. "There is no evidence that the laptop or data was targeted or that anyone's personal gucci outlet data has in fact been compromised or accessed in any way," BP spokesman Tom Mueller said in a written statement. "We have sent written notice to individuals impacted by this event to inform them about the loss of their personal data and to offer them free credit monitoring services to help protect their personal information." The loss of the laptop, which can be remotely disabled, was reported to law enforcement authorities and BP security. Its loss came during business-related travel. BP says they cannot release any information on where or when, the laptop computer was lost to prevent the investigation from being jeopardized. Mueller told CNN that he could not comment on the employee involved in the loss of the laptop. On April 20, 2010, an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Louisiana coast, killed 11 workers and spilled an estimated 205 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. It took 85 days to stop the oil from pouring into the sea.The affiliate, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, is the current incarnation of an Algerian branch of the terrorist organization that has long sought to turn North Africa into an al Qaeda theater of operations. But its militancy has largely been confined to Algeria. The group's latest propaganda dispatch detailing militant activity made no mention of operations inside Libya.The reimbursements go back to at least 2002, the report concluded. The political donations, mostly to Republican candidates and causes, were not required but strongly suggested, several employees told the investigators. According to the report, when the initial investigation was made following The Republic's story, lobbyist Gary Husk helped guide Woods away from those who had actually been given reimbursements and groomed others who were interviewed on what to say. The Husk Brothers lobbying firm was paid $286,000 by the Fiesta Bowl in 2009, according reports filed by the IRS. The board announced a series of steps to reform its operations and operate transparently to prevent any repeat of such problems. That includes hiring a chief financial officer and a general counsel/compliance officer. The bowl has three years left on its four-year contract BCS contract. That could give it enough time to clean up its problems in the face of a possible challenge from the Cotton Bowl, which long has coveted a return to elite bowl status and now has a big, new stadium to bolster its case. Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker declined comment through a bowl spokesman. Among the many expenditures questioned by the report was the 50th birthday celebration for Junker paid for by the Fiesta Bowl at a cost of $33,0000 at Pebble Beach, Calif.;, his car allowance and paid membership in four elite private golf clubs. There also was a $1,200 trip for Junker and two others to a Phoenix strip club. Dichter said Junker was not asked about the birthday party by the panel. He said he had nothing to do with paying for it, that it was done by another employee at the time. Junker's attorney provided The Associated Press with the transcripts of the now-ousted CEO's interview with the investigators. The Fiesta, which also operates the Insight Bowl and many other smaller events, staged the highly anticipated matchup between Auburn and Oregon for the national championship this year. The seven-member BCS task force investigating the matter will be headed by Spanier and includes Northern Illinois president John Peters, Big East commissioner John Marinatto, Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters, and athletic directors Jeremy Foley of Florida, Bob Bowlsby of Stanford and Richard Giannani of Southern Mississippi.