Disgruntled Ex-Disney Employee Sentenced for Hacking into Park Restaurants' Menus

A former employee of Walt Disney World who hacked into menus at park restaurants to manipulate allergen information has been handed a stiff sentence and a hefty fine. Michael Scheuer, 47, of Winter Garden, Florida, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $687,776.50 after being convicted of hacking into the menus to make food items appear safe for customers with certain allergies.

Scheuer's actions were seen as a form of revenge against Disney after he was fired for unspecified "misconduct." Investigators said that Scheuer manipulated allergen information in restaurant menus to indicate that food items were safe for customers with certain allergies, when they were not. In another bizarre twist, Scheuer changed menu information related to wine regions so it looked like they were sourced from the scenes of mass shootings.

Scheuer's lawyer, David Haas, claimed that his client had a mental disability that led to a "panic attack while he was at work." According to Haas, Scheuer initially filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint after being suspended and terminated by Disney. The dispute centered on the circumstances of Scheuer's firing.

"He is very remorseful and apologized to the victims during the hearing," Haas said in a statement. "He is eager to get back home to his wife and 3 young daughters. He was the sole earner in the family as his wife has a number of medical issues and homeschools their children so he will look for work upon his release."

Disney employees first became aware of the hack after they noticed that the fonts in the menu creation program had been changed to wingdings, making them "unusable." Scheuer also targeted mostly "upper-level management" Disney employees in a variety of other ways, including locking employees out of their company computer systems and visiting an employee's home – an invasion caught on a Ring camera. He also hacked into a separate server and digitally altered QR codes that sent diners to the website boycott-israel.org.

According to investigators, Scheuer kept a folder containing the home addresses, phone numbers, and relatives' personal information of four victims. The incident highlights the importance of food safety and allergy awareness at Disney World, where guests can make reservations on the Disney World website and specify their dietary needs.

A Tragic Incident

In 2023, a tragic incident occurred at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at Disney Springs. NYU Langone doctor Kanokporn "Amy" Tangsuan died after eating a meal at the restaurant due to anaphylaxis caused by elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system.

Despite being repeatedly warned about her allergies, Tangsuan struggled to breathe and collapsed shortly after her meal. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of food safety and allergy awareness, especially for individuals with life-threatening allergies.

A Lesson Learned

Scheuer's case serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hacking into digital systems and manipulating information to cause harm. His actions have left a trail of devastation for his victims and their families, and he will now face the consequences of his actions in prison.