THE BOOK THIEF
YOU South Africa|27 April 2023
For six years he preyed on authors, stealing more than a thousand unpublished manuscripts from right under their noses 
JANE VORSTER
THE BOOK THIEF

THE Spine Collector, authorities called him. For six years he was a man who successfully racked up one crime after the other, taunting some of his victims along the way.

This chilling description may conjure up images of a hardened criminal leaving a trail of human bodies in his wake. But the truth is very much stranger than fiction in this case.

The man in question is actually a bespectacled nerdy type – and the spines he collected belong to books.

Filippo Bernardini (30), a junior employee at publishing giant Simon & Schuster UK, was arrested in New York early last year for stealing manuscripts of famous authors. The Federal District Court in Manhattan recently found him guilty of fraud and identity theft.

Over the past six years he has targeted big names such as Margaret Atwood, Sally Rooney, Ian McEwan and Ethan Hawke, as well as other lesser-known authors. He managed to steal more than 1 000 titles right from under their publishers’ noses.

Bernardini’s methods were quite simple. He sent polite emails to authors, editors, translators, and other well-connected people in the literary world, impersonating someone they knew and trusted and asked them to send him their latest drafts. In many cases, they happily obliged.

He used publishing terms such as English language rights and using abbreviations like “ms” when referring to manuscripts. He also set up multiple email accounts with cleverly disguised email addresses such @randornhouse.com instead of @randomhouse.com – essentially a phishing exercise where emails aren’t who they appear to be from.

After a year-long investigation the FBI’s cyber division unmasked him and brought him to book.

Denne historien er fra 27 April 2023-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra 27 April 2023-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YOU SOUTH AFRICASe alt
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024