Report: British Tabloid Hacked into Hundreds of Celebrities' Cell Phones

Britain's police has opened an investigation into claims that journalists from News of the World, a tabloid owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, illegally hacked into the phones of hundreds of celebrities and politicians.

Citing anonymous senior police sources, the Guardian newspaper reported that journalists at the tabloid used private investigators to hack into private voicemail messages, using the information to "gain unlawful access to private data, including tax records, social security files, bank statements and itemized phone bills."

It said the targets included actors Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and British politicians.

News of the World had paid more than $1.6 million in out-of-court settlements to some of the targets, according to the report. Plus the paper's royalty editor, Clive Goodman, was sent to jail for four months in 2007 for hacking into royal officials' voicemail systems. He said he had acted without the knowledge of other journalists or editors.

But the Guardian said that during the investigation into Goodman, evidence emerged that the News of the World had used private investigators to hack into the phones of as many as 3,000 public figures.

Update: The case is closed. For now.
Assistant commissioner John Yates, head of specialist operations in the Metropolitan police, said: "This case has been the subject of the most careful investigation by experienced detectives ... No additional evidence has come to light. I therefore consider no further investigation is required."

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