Eight individuals in China have been sentenced for stealing, selling or buying the information of more than 200,000 newborn babies, according to the Shanghai Daily.
The sentences vary for each of the individuals involved. They were ordered to pay penalties between 2,000 to 5,000 yuan ($290 to $730) and sentenced to between seven and 27 months in jail.
Two of the accused — one surnamed Zhang and another surnamed Han — worked for the Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Zhang convinced Han to steal babies' information from the center's database in order to help his friend, surnamed Fan, endorse infant health products.
Han downloaded information and sent it to Zhang via email twice per month from the beginning of 2014 until July 2016. The Pudong New Area People's Court claimed the trio stole and sold the information of more than 200,000 babies. The other five individuals were also involved in the illegal sale of the information.
According to the report, all eight defendants have paid the imposed penalties and returned all illegally-obtained income.