Former Disney World Employee Sentenced to Three Years for Hacking Park’s Menu System to Remove Allergy Information

Michael Scheuer, 40, will serve three years in federal prison and must forfeit his computers and pay $687,776.50 in restitution to the victims.

A former Disney World employee has been sentenced to three years in federal prison after hacking into the park's internal menu system, removing critical peanut allergy warnings, inserting profanities, and altering menu designs. Michael Scheuer, 40, of Winter Garden, Florida, must also forfeit his computers and pay $687,776.50 in restitution to the victims.

Scheuer pleaded guilty in January to charges related to unauthorized access and intentional damage to protected computers. As a former menu production manager at Disney, Scheuer was responsible for creating and distributing restaurant menus, including digital versions. His employment with Disney ended on June 13, 2024, after a termination process described as "contentious" and "not considered to be amicable," according to a federal complaint.

Michael Scheuer pleaded guilty in January.

Following his dismissal, Scheuer accessed Disney's menu systems, making changes that included removing peanut allergy notifications, adding offensive language, altering menu prices, and modifying fonts. He also submitted multiple unauthorized login attempts, preventing more than a dozen employees from accessing their work accounts. While none of these changes reached the public in either digital or printed menus, the incident caused damages exceeding $150,000.

The FBI raided Scheuer’s residence on September 23, seizing at least four computers as part of the investigation. Initially, Scheuer denied any wrongdoing when interviewed by authorities, claiming that Disney was attempting to frame him due to concerns over the circumstances of his termination.

Michael Scheuer was responsible for the creation and distribution of all restaurant menus at Disney

Scheuer's attorney, David Haas, stated that his client has a disability that affected his employment. Haas explained that Scheuer experienced a medical event resulting in his suspension, followed by a termination without clear communication or accommodation from Disney. Scheuer subsequently filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Scheuer was charged with one count of knowingly causing the transmission of a program, information, code, or command to a protected computer, and intentionally causing damage without authorization resulting in losses exceeding $5,000.