Verizon would not disclose the number of its now-former employees, but admitted the fact that President-Elect Barack Obama’s personal cell phone account had been accessed and viewed. The company’s PR was quick to issue a short statement:

“We apologize to President-Elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day.”

"All employees who have accessed the account — whether authorized or not — have been put on immediate leave, with pay," said Wireless president and CEO Lowell McAdam. "As the circumstances of each individual employee’s access to the account are determined, the company will take appropriate actions. Employees with legitimate business needs for access will be returned to their positions, while employees who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action."

The statement also says that the account in question had been inactive for several months.

In addition, it appears that the device tied to the account was not a smartphone designed for e-mail or other data services, but only a simple voice flip-phone.

This is the second time that Obama’s data has been checked by unauthorized personnel. The first case dates from this March, when 3 employees of State Department contractors have been caught accessing the passport files of Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. All three politicians were in the middle of their presidential campaigns at that time.