The New York Knicks are still basking in the glow of their NBA championship, alleviating 53 years of disappointment and frustration as the team and its fans continue to celebrate weeks after their title run.
But the Knicks’ feel-good news stories amid that championship appear to be short-lived.
According to a Wired article, celebrities and other dignitaries who have attended home games at Madison Square Garden have been assigned “risk” scores. The database also tracked celebrities’ race, gender identity, and sexual orientation; even labeling nearly 100 people as “LGBTQIA.” There are nearly 40,000 entries in the “talent” database, each with specific labeling designations.
Wired reported in April that security staff for Knicks owner Jim Dolan tracked a trans woman’s movements using that surveillance and spying on her for the better part of two years. On June 12, ShinyHunters, a hacking group, said it would leak nearly 26 million records if MSG didn’t fork over a ransom demand. Four days later, they released those records and are now facing three class-action lawsuits alleging the publishing of personal data, whicn was stolen from the World’s Most Famous Arena.
USA TODAY Sports has reached out to Dolan and Madison Square Garden for comment.
This newly reported database is hardly surprising, as it was reported years ago that the arena was using facial recognition technology on those entering the facility.
The database is part of a much larger trove of documents published last month by ShinyHunters, a criminal hacker collective.
Some celebrities who have a “DO NOT HOST” tag include hip-hop producer Pete Rock, actor Will Harrison, comedian Adam Pally, and actress Julia Fox.
The database lists rapper Lil Tjay, who got into a fight with security at The Theater during a boxing match in February 2025, as “BANNED FROM MSG.”
Some of the “low risk” people on the list include actors Mariska Hargitay, Edie Falco, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, musicians Ice Spice, Selena Gomez, and Benson Boone, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan.
The “medium risk” folks include actors Lily Allen, David Harbour, and country singer Morgan Wallen. A few hip-hop artists appear on the “high risk” side of the database, including Freddie Gibbs, Lil Jon, DaBaby, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Madison Square Garden alleged to track and assign risk scores to celebrities
