Fired Disney employee accused of changing restaurant menus for 'health and safety reasons'

A Florida man fired by Disney this summer is charged with a federal crime for allegedly hacking into the company's computer system and rewriting menu items for restaurants that could be fatal to potential customers.

Michael Scheuer was fired on June 13, 2024 for allegedly removing peanut allergy information from menus, changing fonts and adding profanity, Fox 35 in Orlando reported.

Disney says the firing was “contentious … and not viewed as consensual,” while Scheuer says he did nothing wrong and that the company framed him.

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Scheuer was a menu production manager for Disney who was fired for “misconduct,” according to the complaint filed, which went on to say he was responsible for creating and distributing all of the company's restaurant menus. According to the report, his alleged changes did not make it to print or digital menus.

The alleged menu changes by Scheuer — who has been described as a “threat actor” — endanger public health and safety, the complaint says.

“Indeed, the threat actor manipulated allergen information on menus by adding information to some allergen notifications that suggested certain menu items were safe for people with peanut allergies, when in fact they could be fatal for people with peanut allergies,” the complaint states.

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ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 1: Cars drive onto the grounds of Walt Disney World on June 1, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

In addition to removing important information about peanut allergies from menus, Scheuer also allegedly added profanity and changed the prices of certain items on the menus.

The complaint says Scheuer also sent multiple login requests, sometimes referred to as DDoS attacks or hacks, that prevented a handful of employees from accessing their accounts and systems within the company.

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Spaceship Earth attraction at Epcot Theme Park at Walt Disney World. (Fox News Digital / Fox News)

At least four computers were seized during an FBI raid on Scheuer's home on September 23, the report said. Scheuer denied any wrongdoing to the FBI.

“The criminal allegations acknowledge that no one was injured or harmed by the menu changes. Mr. Scheuer has a disability that impacted his employment at Disney. “He had a medical incident that led to his suspension,” said David Haas, the attorney who spoke on behalf of Scheuer.

“Disney then did not respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended, and then his suspension was inexplicably converted to termination. Disney refused to answer why he was fired and made no accommodations for him. He then filed an EEOC complaint.” I look forward to vigorously presenting my client’s perspective.”

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The complaint states that none of the changes have affected print or digital menus, but to date it has cost the company at least $150,000 in damages, which was considered a conservative estimate and is still being determined.

Scheuer was charged with one count of knowingly causing the transmission of a program, information, code or command to a protected computer and of intentionally causing damage in excess of $5,000 without authorization.