• 'Sophisticated' ID thieves swipe info on Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Ashton Kutcher and others

    A website has posted what appear to be the social security numbers, addresses and even credit reports of celebrities, politicians and others who are in the public eye. NBC's Pete Williams reports.

    By Pete Williams and Jeff Black

    “Sophisticated” online thieves have stolen information from first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, the FBI director and the Los Angeles police chief as well as several celebrities, including Beyonce, Ashton Kutcher, and Jay Z.

    A website — which has an “.su” domain name, representing the old Soviet Union — posted what appears to be their credit reports and other information.

    Some of the information, it turns out, is out of date . The website shows FBI director Robert Mueller living in San Francisco, for example. But other data appear to be accurate.

    All of this kind of information can be bought online from commercially available websites, experts say, once someone's Social Security number and date of birth are known. 

    Staff / Reuters

    Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Joe Biden, and Ashton Kutcher are pictured in this photo combination. All were apparent victims of recent identity theft.

    Among other victims are former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck. Other celebrities targeted include Mel Gibson, Kim Kardashian, and Paris Hilton.

    The FBI and the Secret Service say they are investigating the website. So is the LAPD, because so many of the celebrities live in Los Angeles, as does the police chief.

    The existence of the website was first revealed on Monday, and as of Tuesday morning was still in online. NBC News is not disclosing the website’s address.

    There is no indication that any of the information was obtained by computer hacking. Instead, those on the site now join the millions of other Americans who are victims of identity theft. There's no indication so far that anyone has tried to use the information posted on the site to pose as any of those targeted.

    Credit report agency Equifax said that reports of some of the individuals were accessed through AnnualCreditReports.com, a website it owns with Experian and TransUnion.

    "Equifax can confirm that fraudulent and unauthorized access to four consumer credit reports has occurred through the AnnualCreditReport.com channel, a free public service that allows all consumers to get annual access to their credit report," the company said in a statement. 

    "Our initial investigation shows the perpetrators had the (personal information) of the individuals whose files were accessed and were therefore able to pass the required authentication measures in place. We have launched a full investigation into this matter and we are also working closely with law enforcement authorities on this matter."

    Related: Celebrity hackers stole data from AnnualCreditReport.com, Equifax says

    TransUnion said its systems “were not hacked or compromised in any way” but blamed the compromise on “sophisticated perpetrators.”

    None of the people targeted by the website have yet come forward to comment on the accuracy of the information exposed. Representatives of those targeted either declined to comment on the accuracy of the information that was posted, or they did not return messages seeking comment, according to the Associated Press.

    Stealing the personal information of celebrities isn’t new. More than a decade ago a California man masquerading as Tiger Woods used the golfing great’s name and Social Security number to buy big-screen televisions, stereos and other goods. Anthony Lemar Taylor was sentenced to 200 years in prison.

     

  • Larry Hagman, TV villain J.R. Ewing on 'Dallas,' dies at 81

    Tony Gutierrez / AP file

    Actor Larry Hagman poses in front of the Southfork Ranch mansion made famous in the television show, "Dallas," in Parker, Texas, Oct. 9, 2008.

    By NBC News staff and wire

    Updated at 7:30 a.m. ET: Actor Larry Hagman — who became a global icon playing the cunning J.R. Ewing in the television series "Dallas" — died on Friday at the age of 81, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported.

    Hagman was at Medical City Dallas Hospital when he died Friday afternoon from complications of his recent battle with cancer, the Dallas Morning News reported, citing members of his family.

    Linda Gray, who played J.R.'s long-suffering wife, Sue Ellen, was with Hagman in Dallas when he died, the actress' spokesman, Jeffrey Lane, said in an email. 

    Slideshow: Larry Hagman: 1931-2012

    Hulton Archive / Getty Images

    Launch slideshow

    "Larry Hagman was my best friend for 35 years," Gray said in a statement. "He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, funny, loving and talented, and I will miss him enormously."

    'Who shot J.R.?'
    Despite his fragile health, the actor had returned to Texas from his home in California to film season one of TNT’s "Dallas" reboot and part of season two.

    The original show, in which Hagman played a conniving businessman who people loved to hate, ran from 1978 to 1991 on CBS. 

    The "Who shot J.R.?" cliffhanger series ending in 1980 -- which left it unclear if he was alive or dead -- broke viewing records and led to weeks of speculation about what had happened. In a later interview, Hagman said after the episode he went to England because he "wanted to get out of the country," but "England went stark raving nuts." Ewing survived.

    "Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," the family said in a statement, the Morning News reported. "Larry’s family and close friends had joined him in Dallas for the Thanksgiving holiday. When he passed, he was surrounded by loved ones. It was a peaceful passing, just as he had wished for. The family requests privacy at this time."

    A statement from Warner Bros. described Hagman as "a giant, a larger-than-life personality whose iconic performance as J.R. Ewing will endure as one of the most indelible in entertainment history."

    "He truly loved portraying this globally recognized character, and he leaves a legacy of entertainment, generosity and grace. Everyone at Warner Bros. and in the 'Dallas' family is deeply saddened by Larry's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and dear friends during this difficult time," the statement added.

    Earlier in his career, Hagman was known for his role as Maj. Anthony Nelson, the master-turned-husband of a beautiful genie played by Barbara Eden in the sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie."


    In July 1995, he was diagnosed with liver cancer, which led him to quit smoking, and a month later he underwent a liver transplant. 

    After giving up his vices, Hagman said he did not lose his zest for life. 

    "It's the same old Larry Hagman," he told a reporter. "He's just a littler sober-er." 

    Hagman was born on Sept. 21, 1931, in Texas, to Benjamin Jack Hagman and Mary Martin. His father was a lawyer who dealt with the Texas oil barons Hagman would later come to portray.

    He was still a boy when his parents divorced and he went to Los Angeles with Martin, who would become a big name in Hollywood and a Tony winner on Broadway, where she starred in "Peter Pan" and "The Sound of Music." 

    Hagman eventually landed in New York to pursue acting, making his stage debut there in "The Taming of the Shrew." In New York, he married Maj Axelsson in 1954 while they were in a production of "South Pacific. The marriage produced two children, Heidi and Preston. 

    'Big laughs, big smiles'
    Hagman served in the Air Force, spending five years in Europe as the director of USO shows, and on his return to New York he took a starring role in the daytime soap "The Edge of Night." His breakthrough came in 1965 when he landed the "I Dream of Jeannie" role opposite Barbara Eden. 

    After hearing of Hagman’s death, Eden paid tribute to him on Twitter and Facebook.

    “Amidst a whirlwind of big laughs, big smiles and unrestrained personality Larry was always, simply Larry,” she wrote on Twitter. “Larry Hagman not just a great actor, not just a television icon, but an element of pure Americana. I'll miss him.”

    In his later years, Hagman became an advocate for organ transplants and an anti-smoking campaigner.

    He also was devoted to solar energy, telling the New York Times he had a $750,000 solar panel system at his Ojai estate, and made a commercial in which he portrayed a J.R. Ewing who had forsaken oil for solar power. He was a longtime member of the Peace and Freedom Party, a minor leftist organization in California. 

    Hagman told the Times that after death he wanted his remains to be "spread over a field and have marijuana and wheat planted and harvest it in a couple of years and then have a big marijuana cake, enough for 200 to 300 people. People would eat a little of Larry." 

    Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Slideshow: Curtain calls

    Getty, Reuters, Getty

    Launch slideshow

    More in Entertainment:

    More content from NBCNews.com:

    Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

  • LA Sheriff: Natalie Wood death investigation is still 'ongoing'

    By Tim Kenneally, TheWrap.com

    Slideshow: Natalie Wood

    Launch slideshow

    Nearly nine months after re-opening the investigation into the death of actress Natalie Wood, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is still looking into the case, the Sheriff's department said Friday night, noting that their investigation is "open and ongoing." 

    "We have received many calls from the news media today asking about the status of the Natalie Wood death investigation case," the Sheriff's Department said. "It remains an open and ongoing investigation. There are no further details."

    TMZ reported on Friday that the Los Angeles County Coroner had filed papers in late June to change the cause of Wood's death from "accidental" to "undetermined," and that detectives from the Sheriff's Department visited family members on Friday, telling them that bruises on Wood's body were inconsistent with death by drowning. According to the family members, detectives could not say for certain whether Woods' drowning resulted from an accident or foul play.

    A spokesman for the coroner's department confirmed to TheWrap that Wood's case is on "security hold," and that the coroner's office is cooperating with law enforcement.

    "The case is currently on security hold at the request of the Sheriff's Dept. It is an open investigation and we are cooperating fully with the Sheriff's Department," the spokesman said. "This Department is making no comments at this time."

    Wood drowned near Catalina Island in Southern California on November 29, 1981 at the age of 43. She had been vacationing with her husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, her co-star in the film "Brainstorm," which was in production at the time.

    Her drowning was reportedly preceded by a drunken argument between Wagner and Walken. It has been theorized that Wood was either trying to leave the Splendour, the yacht that the trio was staying on, or may have been trying to secure a rubber dinghy that had been banging against the hull of the boat when she drowned.

    The coroner's department determined that Wood had consumed numerous glasses of wine before her death.

    The Sheriff's Department reopened the investigation in November, shortly before the 30th anniversary of Wood's death, in part because of increased media interest in the case. CBS' "48 Hours" was preparing to air a segment on her death. Yacht captain Dennis Davern, who had earlier co-authored a book questioning the account of Wood's death, had also begun making the interview rounds.

    Though a Sheriff's Department spokesman said that Davern's book, "Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour" did not "have an impact in the decision" to reopen the case, Davern claimed in an interview with NBC's "Today" that Wagner was responsible for Wood's death. Davern's account of the night of her drowning has been hazy, however, and he has admitted to drinking heavily that night. 


    More in TODAY entertainment:

  • Jennifer and Julia Hudson on Balfour conviction: 'We have felt the love'

    By Natalie Finn, E! Online

    Jennifer Hudson and her sister Julia got the verdict they wanted when William Balfour was convicted of murdering their mother, Darnell Donerson; brother Jason Hudson; and Julia's 7-year-old son, Julian King.

    With the painful murder trial behind them, the sisters are thanking those who helped win a guilty verdict for Julia's ex-husband. They are also letting everyone know how grateful they are for the support they've received from people all over the world.

    The pair also are extending a prayer to Balfour's family, acknowleding that they have suffered a loss, too.

    "We have many people to thank but our first thank you is to God, always," the Hudson sisters said in a statement obtained by E! News.

    "We are so grateful to prosecutors James McKay, Jennifer Bagby and Veryl Gambino and State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and her team for their dedication and tireless work from the beginning. We have the best police department, and they have been with us every step of the way. We thank all of the State's witnesses who came forward on our behalf. We have felt the love and support from people all over the world and we're very grateful.


    More from E: Reese Witherspoon in Court With Estranged Parents for Emergency Conservatorship Hearing

    "We want to extend a prayer from the Hudson family to the Balfour family," they continued. "We have all suffered terrible loss in this tragedy. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday."

    Balfour is facing life in prison for three instances of first-degree murder, as well as convictions for aggravated kidnapping, residential burglary, home invasion and possession of a stolen vehicle. His attorney, who maintains her client's innocence, says she plans to appeal his convictions next month.

    Jennifer Hudson listened to the verdicts with tears in her eyes, fiance David Otunga's arm around her shoulders, then looked over at Julia and smiled.

    GALLERY: Celebrity Deaths: 2012's Fallen Stars  

    Related content:

    More Entertainment news:

     

  • Coroner's report: Whitney Houston found face down in tub

    By Anna Chan, TODAY

    The Los Angeles County Coroner released the final coroner's report for Whitney Houston on Wednesday. The singer died on Feb. 11 at the Beverly Hills Hilton, one day before the Grammy Awards. The official cause of death was accidental drowning and "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use."

    The 42-page document, obtained by TODAY.com, gives a detailed description of the scene inside her room at the hotel and details of the investigation.

    According to the report, Houston's assistant suggested the star take a bath to prepare for the pre-Grammys activities occurring that evening. The assistant then left to pick up items at Neiman Marcus, and when she returned, she found Houston, 48, face down and unresponsive in the bathtub. The assistant and a bodyguard pulled the singer out of the tub.

    The detective on the scene noted that Houston had "possibly overdosed on a narcotic substance, prescription medications, over the counter medications, and alcohol." Prescription medications found at the scene included Xanax, amoxicillin, Prednisone and antibiotics. An open bottle of champagne was also in the room.

    The coroner's report indicated that there were multiple items on the bathroom counter, including "an ashtray filled with multiple cigarette butts," "a small spoon with a white crystal like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" and "a bottle of prescription medications." In one of the counter drawers, detectives found "remnants of a white powdery substance, and a portable mirror on the base."


    TMZ reported on March 30 that official documents indicated that the "white powdery substance" was cocaine. The report released Wednesday did not identify that substance as cocaine.

    Houston's initial autopsy indicated that she had taken cocaine shortly before she died, and coroner spokesman Craig Harvey said in a March 22 news conference that her body showed signs of "chronic usage."

    The final report noted that at the time of her death, Houston had cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Benadryl and  muscle relaxants in her system. The autopsy also indicated her body was "well built, muscular and fairly well nourished."

    Houston was laid to rest in a private ceremony on Feb. 19.

    Related content:

  • Big names shine spotlight on education

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and more on Education Nation

    By Elizabeth Chuck, msnbc.com

    Race, gender and social status won't make or break success, but a quality education will.

    At least that's the view of some big names in Hollywood, music and sports who took the time to participate in NBC's Education Nation summit.

    Actress Cheryl Hines, musician John Legend and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell were among the celebrities, teachers and policy-makers attending the wide-ranging two-day event at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to advocate for improving the quality of education in America.

    Hines and Goodell, who talked with NBC's Kate Snow, both spoke about involving community members in supporting student achievement.

    "We have 180 million fans that watch football. That's great, but it comes with a lot of responsibility," Goodell said. He told msnbc.com he would love to see more football players follow in the footsteps of Randall McDaniel, who became a second-grade teacher after playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks, who founded a charter school in 2007 that he became actively involved in following his retirement.

    He also highlighted the role of exercise in learning, citing the NFL's new "Play 60" campaign, which encourages kids to do at least 60 minutes of activity daily.

    "Our effort tells kids, 'You can do whatever you want as long as you're active,'" he said. The campaign was launched in response to studies showing children who get exercise perform better on exams and have higher attendance, he said.

    To help children attain an hour of physical activity a day, the NFL works with local districts to finance P.E. teachers and equipment for schools that otherwise would have to eliminate gym classes.

    "There's clearly a need to improve our education," said Goodell, a father of 9-year-old twins who attend public school. "We all have to do more."

    More is exactly what "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Cheryl Hines hopes her new show, "School Pride," will inspire viewers to do. The reality TV show, which premieres Oct. 15 on NBC, will visit different cities around the country and work with parents, students and teachers to fix schools in disrepair.

    "They're scraping gum and cleaning toilets, believe it or not," Hines said. "We want a school that we're proud of; we don't want our teachers to have to teach in a classroom where rain is coming in."

    Hines says "School Pride" offers a realistic view of how underfunded education is.

    "It's inexcusable that we have schools that are falling apart; it sends a terrible message to the kids," Hines said. She said she had visited schools that had rats running across the classroom tiles, and history books so outdated they only covered events prior to 1974.

    "Some of these schools, you drive by or you see the test scores, and you feel like nobody cares," she said. "But I truly don't think that's the case."

    Later Tuesday, six-time Grammy Award winner John Legend from The Roots discussed work he's been doing with Harlem Village Academy, a top-performing charter school in New York.

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and more on Education Nation

    "Students are coming in in 4th grade reading at a 1st grade level, and graduating 8th grade with 100 percent proficiency," Legend told panel moderator Brian Williams of NBC. "What are the barriers to making all our schools that great?"