SOMERVILLE, Mass. — A Somerville man accused of orchestrating a computer attack on a Boston hospital was arrested in Miami Wednesday after being rescued by a cruise ship from a small boat near Cuba.
On March 23, 2014, Martin Gottesfeld allegedly posted a video to YouTube in the name of the hacker group Anonymous, asking for action against Boston Children's Hospital. A computer generated voice narrated the video that said Anonymous will punish those held accountable and "will not relent until (Patient A) is free." The YouTube video directed viewers to a website that contained information about the hospital's sever.
Anonymous was trying to get a Justina Pelletier released from the hospital because they believed she was being tortured physically and mentally, along with being held against her will. In 2013, the teenage girl was put in DCF custody over a medical dispute. Doctors at Tufts Medical diagnosed her with mitochondrial disease. Doctors at Boston Children's believed her symptoms were psychological and accused her parents of medical abuse.
The FBI said the attack against Boston Children's Hospital began on April 19, 2014 and hostile traffic was directed to the hospital's network for at least seven days. This disrupted the network, the hospital's website, the day-to-day operations and research being done at the hospital.
In order to ensure patient care wasn't affected, Boston Children's Hospital to shut down portion of its severs, costing the hospital more than $300,000.
The FBI says Gottesfeld, 31, knew about the investigation since October 2014 when agents searched his home. Last week, Somerville Police conducted a wellness check at his apartment after receiving calls from relatives and Gottesfeld's employer, concerned because they hadn't heard from him. No one was in the apartment when police arrived.
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Boston FBI learned Tuesday, Feb. 16 that Gottesfeld and his wife had been rescued by a Disney Cruise ship near Cuba following a distress call. Once the ship arrived in Miami, Gottesfeld was arrested.
FOX25 talked to a passenger on the Disney Wonder cruise. Tyler Roman said during the Monday night 6:15 p.m. performance of Toy Story: The Musical, midway through the show he felt the ship slow down and shake, similar to plane turbulence.
"When the show ended a ship's officer came on the stage to say we were performing another rescue of a vessel in need of assistance," said Roman.
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The 31-year-old is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy related to the hospital attack. The affidavit says that Gottesfeld also helped orchestrate another attack.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution.