“Hollywood Hacker” back in court (VIDEO)

GlobalPost

The man accused of hacking into celebrities' personal phones and stealing naked pictures of Scarlett Johansson, was due in court Friday morning, in Jacksonville, Florida, for an identity hearing.

Christopher Chaney, which the media has dubbed the "Hollywood Hacker", has admitted to stealing pictures from several celebrities – also including actresses Mila Kunis and Vanessa Hudgens and singer Christina Aguilera – and to posting them on the internet.

The 35-year-old was arrested and charged on Wednesday following a year-long FBI investigation.

Chaney was quick to apologize for his actions, telling Fox affiliate WAWS:

I know what I did was probably one of the worst invasions of privacy someone could experience. And these people don't have privacy to begin with. And I was in that little sliver of privacy they do have.

Chaney said his hacking habits began as as a "curiosity", before he became addicted and didn't know how to stop.

In his defense, he said he never sold, or planned on selling, the pictures or information he uncovered – nor did he use them for blackmail purposes.

VIDEO Chaney interview with Fox affiliate WAWS:

CNN reported that Chaney is accused of hacking into accounts on computers and phones belonging to more than 50 people.

(Read more on GlobalPost: FBI to investigate after Scarlett Johansson nude photos leaked online)

In what's being dubbed "Operation Hackerazzi", officials said he was indicted on charges of accessing protected computers without authorization, damaging protected computers, wiretapping and aggravated identity theft.

He reportedly faces up to 121 years in prison if found guilty.

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