Five class action lawsuits have been filed against MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, targeting the casino giants for their alleged failure to safeguard customer data during cyberattacks that occurred in September.
The lawsuits contend that these companies were entrusted with personally identifiable information (PII) and that this trust was breached during the cyber attacks, 8NewsNow reported. The legal actions assert that the disclosures made by the companies regarding these breaches have been inadequate, leaving customers uncertain about potential vulnerabilities related to the theft of their personal information. It is believed that the stolen data may have already found its way onto the dark web.
On Thursday, two Las Vegas law firms, Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC, and Kopelowitz Ostrow Ferguson Weiselberg Gilbert, filed four lawsuits. Two of these lawsuits were directed at MGM Resorts, and the other two were aimed at Caesars Entertainment. Each of these four lawsuits features an individual customer as a named plaintiff: Tonya Owens and Emily Kirwan in the MGM cases, and Paul Garcia and Alexis Giuffre in the Caesars cases. The lawsuits are seeking class-action status, and it’s noteworthy that one of the lawyers involved, Nathan R. Ring, is married to Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro.
“The PII of individuals remains of high value to criminals, as evidenced by the prices they will pay through the dark web. Numerous sources cite dark web pricing for stolen identity credentials. For example, PII can be sold at a price ranging from $40 to $200. Criminals can also purchase access to entire company data breaches from $900 to $4,500,” the lawsuits said, as cited in the 8NewsNow report.
A fifth lawsuit, exclusively against Caesars Entertainment, was filed on Friday. It names plaintiffs Thomas McNicholas and Laura McNicholas, a couple from Illinois who have been members of the Caesars Rewards Program for over two decades. This particular lawsuit, filed by The O’Mara Law Firm, P.C., of Reno and Barnow and Associates, P.C., of Chicago, alleges a breach of contract with every customer whose personal data was stolen in the incident.
“Caesars owed a duty to Plaintiffs and Class members to exercise reasonable care in safeguarding and protecting the PII in Caesars’s possession, custody, or control,” the lawsuit said, as per local media reports.
While the language in the fifth lawsuit differs slightly from the other four, all five legal actions seek financial compensation for the victims, including actual, statutory, and punitive damages, as well as restitution. They also seek any profits that the companies may have gained from using the compromised data.
Furthermore, all five lawsuits request assurances from the companies that similar breaches will not occur in the future. All the lawsuits are seeking a jury trial, with allegations of negligence, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment against the defendants.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2023/09/26/68930-five-lawsuits-target-mgm-and-caesars-for-recent-data-breaches
