IT consultant ordered to repay £50,000 after data theft threats

An IT consultant, Amit Sharma, has been ordered by a civil court to repay £50,000 to his employer, Espire Infolabs, after allegedly threatening to leak the personal details of more than 50,000 members of the private members' club Soho House.

Sharma, who was on secondment to Soho House for an IT project, reportedly fell out with Espire over pay and alleged harassment. Following dissatisfaction with his exit settlement, he began emailing Soho House and its members in July last year, threatening to release sensitive information including addresses and payment details unless he received a seven-figure sum.

He warned members that their personal safety and security had been breached and that they would be listed as wealthy individuals. Sharma also contacted journalists, claiming unsolicited access to high-profile clients.

Soho House reported the threats to the Information Commissioner's Officer and the police, leading to Sharma's arrest and the seizure of his electronic devices. He later wrote to Espire's lawyers, vowing to delete the data and stating he had learned his lesson.

During the civil court proceedings, Sharma cited bullying and harassment from colleagues as justification for his actions, referencing Espire's large exit settlement. The court ordered him to repay the £50,000 settlement. Soho House declined to comment, and it is understood that Sharma only obtained details of a small number of members but claimed to possess tens of thousands for leverage.