The former chief financial officer of the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment Distict, Salvatore Zappulla,  has been arrested and charged with hacking the district’s computer system.  Zappulla faces 21 felony counts including 13 counts of computer crime with intent to defraud, 7 counts of modifying information without authority and 1 count of deleting information from the district’s computers.

Zappulla’s contract was not renewed in December 2011.  The facility’s IT manager, Paul Christian, was suspicious when he discovered emails addressed to Zuppulla’s personal email account during a routine check of the email system in February.  Zappulla allegedly used the login and password information of current district employees to access the district’s computer system.  When questioned by police, Zappulla bragged that he was able to prove that the district’s computers were not secure.

Salvatore Zappulla pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial the week of July 16, 2012.

The Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District was hacked by a former employee resulting in modification and deletion of files.  The former chief financial officer allegedly used the login and password information of current district employees to access the districts computer system remotely.