Disgruntled Disney manager’s revenge plot could have killed children with peanut allergies, now he’ll spend three years behind bars instead of in the happiest place on earth
At a Glance
Former Disney menu production manager Michael Scheuer was sentenced to three years in federal prison for hacking the company’s menu system after being fired
He added profanities to menus and referenced mass shooting locations in wine descriptions
The court ordered Scheuer to pay nearly $688,000 in restitution for damages exceeding $150,000
None of his malicious changes reached the public before being caught
From Disney Employee to Cyber Criminal
Just when you think you’ve heard it all, along comes a story that makes you wonder what on earth is wrong with people these days. Michael Scheuer, who once held the trusted position of “menu product manager” at Disney World, decided to turn his technical knowledge into a weapon after being shown the door on June 13, 2024. Instead of updating his resume like a normal person, this genius thought the appropriate response to losing his job was to potentially endanger children with food allergies. Because nothing says “I’ve been wronged” quite like putting innocent kids at risk of anaphylactic shock, right?
According to federal complaints, Scheuer’s departure from Disney was described as “contentious and…not considered to be amicable,” which might be the understatement of the year. The former manager had access to a proprietary menu system that, as the complaint noted, “has several other functionalities, such as pricing, menu management, and inventory management.”
A Dangerous Digital Tantrum
What makes this case particularly disturbing isn’t just the childish addition of profanities to menus or the petty font changes. It’s the deliberately dangerous manipulation of allergen information. Federal investigators revealed that Scheuer “manipulated the allergen information on menus by adding information to some allergen notifications that indicated certain menu items were safe for individuals with peanut allergies, when in fact they could be deadly to those with peanut allergies.” Let that sink in—this guy was willing to put children’s lives at risk because he was mad about losing his job.
“Scheuer’s firing was ‘contentious and…not considered to be amicable,’ according to a federal complaint, which alleged that Scheuer ‘made several menu changes that threatened public health and safety,'” according to the outlet.
As if endangering guests with allergies wasn’t enough, Scheuer went the extra mile in his revenge campaign by launching denial-of-service attacks that disabled 14 employee accounts. He also altered wine region information on menus to reference locations of mass shootings. Because nothing says “I’m a stable, reasonable person who was wrongfully terminated” like referencing tragedy on a wine list. The cherry on top? He used a VPN to hide his identity, clearly demonstrating he knew exactly how wrong his actions were.
The Blame Game and Justice Served
When the FBI raided Scheuer’s home on September 23, seizing at least four computers, he initially denied any wrongdoing. In fact, he tried to flip the script and claim that Disney was framing him because of his termination. His attorney, David Haas, attempted to paint Scheuer as the victim, claiming, “He had a medical event that resulted in him being suspended. Disney then failed to respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended, and then his suspension was inexplicably changed to a termination.”
“He had a medical event that resulted in him being suspended,” Haas said. “Disney then failed to respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended, and then his suspension was inexplicably changed to a termination.”
Despite the initial denials, Scheuer eventually pleaded guilty in January to causing damage to a protected computer system without authorization. The damage exceeded $150,000, though fortunately, none of his malicious changes made it to printed or digital menus that reached the public. The U.S. District Judge apparently wasn’t buying the victim narrative and sentenced Scheuer to three years in federal prison, ordered him to pay a staggering $687,776.50 in restitution, and forfeit his computers.
Corporate Accountability vs. Personal Responsibility
While Scheuer’s attorney tried to shift blame to Disney for allegedly mishandling his client’s suspension and termination, there’s simply no excuse for putting children’s lives at risk, regardless of how poorly you think you’ve been treated by an employer. In an era where victimhood is increasingly celebrated and personal responsibility downplayed, this case serves as a stark reminder that actions have consequences. If Disney truly mishandled a medical situation, there are proper legal channels to address that—none of which involve endangering guests or costing a company nearly $700,000 in damages.
The next time you’re enjoying a meal at the “Happiest Place on Earth,” take a moment to appreciate the behind-the-scenes security measures that prevented this disgruntled ex-employee’s dangerous revenge plot from reaching your table. And perhaps say a little prayer of thanks that we still live in a country where the justice system occasionally gets it right, putting public safety above someone’s misguided sense of retribution. As for Scheuer, he’ll have three years in a considerably less magical kingdom to reflect on his choices.
