Update…
ST. LOUIS (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals were not caught off-guard when details of the FBI and Justice Department investigation into computer hacking of the Houston Astros database were revealed.
The team said Wednesday it hired a law firm several months ago to conduct an internal inquiry and to assist in providing information to the federal government.
Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said the team will hold accountable anyone responsible for anything inappropriate. Jim Martin of the Dowd Bennett law firm was hired to assist the team. Martin said in a statement that the inquiry has not been completed.
A person familiar with the investigation has told The Associated Press that federal authorities are investigating whether members of the Cardinals organization were to blame for the hacking of the Astros’ player database.
Previously…
The New York Times, citing unidentified law enforcement officials, reported Tuesday that the FBI and Justice Department are investigating whether Cardinals’ front-office officials were behind the effort to steal player information.
MLB said the Astros’ “baseball operations database” was breached, but declined further comment until the federal investigation is completed. The U.S. attorney in St. Louis, Richard Callahan, says he is unaware of the investigation. Messages seeking comment from FBI officials in St. Louis, Houston and Washington were not returned.
The Cardinals and Astros both confirmed they are cooperating with the investigation but declined further comment.
