Thomson Reuters suspends employee accused of aiding hackers

Matthew Keys, deputy social media editor for Reuters.com, is seen in his online profile in this undated photo.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Thomson Reuters Corp(TRI.TO) suspended with pay a deputy social media editor for Reuters.com who has been indicted for aiding members of the Anonymous hacking collective, a company spokesman said on Friday.

Matthew Keys, 26, was indicted on Thursday by a federal grand jury in Sacramento, Calif., on three criminal counts. The alleged events occurred before he joined Thomson Reuters, the indictment indicated.

Thomson Reuters spokesman David Girardin confirmed Keys's suspension on Friday but declined additional comment. Keys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday, Keys exchanged tweets with some well-wishers on Twitter, telling one of them: "I'm okay."

According to the indictment, Keys allegedly gave hackers access to Tribune Co (TRBAA.PK) computer systems in December 2010. A story on the Tribune's Los Angeles Times website was soon altered by one of those hackers, the indictment said.

Keys joined Reuters in January 2012 as deputy social media editor. He worked in New York and lives in New Jersey. He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 12 in Sacramento, according to the court docket.

The case in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, is United States of America v. Matthew Keys, 13-82. (Reporting By Dan Levine; Editing by Ciro Scotti)