MiddletownJournal.com

MASON — The breach of personnel files at a Mason eyewear retailer, a case which now involves the FBI, impacts former employees in all 50 states, according to investigators.

The hacker who breached the security of the Luxottica Group's computer system obtained payroll records of 59,419 former employees, said Hamilton Twp. police Lt. Jeff Braley, who heads the Warren County Cyber Task Force. Names, addresses and Social Security numbers were accessed, he said.

FBI Special Agent Mike Brooks confirmed Wednesday, Dec. 3, his agency has received the case, but said he could not discuss it.

Braley, who turned over the case to the FBI on Tuesday, said the breach included some former employees from Ohio, but couldn't cite specific areas.

The employees worked for retailer Things Remembered from 1998 through early 2005. The Luxottica Group, whose retail headquarters is at 4000 Luxottica Lane, sold the company in 2006.

In a routine security check in September, Cole National Group Inc., a Luxottica company, discovered that payroll records of former employees had been electronically breached, officials said.

Luxottica spokeswoman Kathy Clark said the company sent notice to all those impacted and offered free credit monitoring services.