NH Local Government Center worker arrested
CONCORD, N.H. --A worker at the New Hampshire Local Government Center, which administers benefit plans for public employees, has been charged with four computer-related crimes.
Ruthanne Bradley 46, of Concord, who was arrested Friday, is accused of tampering with two backup data tapes. She was released on $25,000 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 6.
Police said the Local Government Center data includes such information as names, birth dates, Social Security numbers and medical information of public employees employed by their clientele. Police say the data in question has the potential to affect an estimated 190,000 public servants across the state.
"Basically police officers, firefighters, school teachers -- you name it -- city and town employees," said Concord Police Sgt. Jason Thomas.
Thomas said Bradley was one of the workers responsible for maintaining the organization's backup system.
Last month, the center said the backup tapes were missing from the secured room where they are stored, then turned up in the building later. The center said an internal audit was conducted and it was found that there was no breach of personal data.
On Friday, the center said in a news release that the two backup tapes had been mislabeled and misplaced within the organization's server room area and that the information contained on the tapes was never misused or stolen.
"We want to assure our enrollees and the public that these particular back-up tapes do not contain medical or pharmacy claims information for individuals covered by HealthTrust's medical and pharmacy programs," LGC Deputy Director Sandal Keeffe said.
HealthTrust is a nonprofit employee benefits pool that serves towns, cities, counties and schools in new Hampshire.
The center said that Concord Police continued with its own investigation even after determining that no tapes or enrollee data were missing.
"Until the Concord Police brought charges today, LGC was unable to provide any details regarding this incident," Keeffe said.
Police, who have been investigating the matter since Aug. 6, said they couldn't definitively ascertain if the backup tapes had ever been compromised or left the building.
Police say to date, no one has come forward indicating that their personal information had been used in an illegal manner. 