Ashley Madison cheater could face jail after spectacular post-hack meltdown

THOUGHT the fallout from the Ashley Madison data breach was over? Nope. A school principal could face jail over this spectacular post-hack meltdown.

THE fallout from the Ashley Madison data breach is still unfolding, with a school principal in the United States facing potential jail over his reaction to the hack.

David Browne, a New Jersey district school superintendent, lost his job, his wife, his mind and possibly his freedom, The New York Post has learned.

Mr Browne sustained severe burns while trying to torch his garage after confessing to his wife and school board he had an account with the infamous infidelity site.

His admission came after Ashley Madison was hacked and its 32 million patrons saw their dirty little secrets exposed to the world on August 20, a source familiar with the case said.

Weeks later, Mr Browne, 55, took a medical leave of absence and was replaced by an acting superintendent at the Randolph school on September 8.

But it was the blaze and personal meltdown on October 13 that sent shock waves through the school and Mr Browne’s hometown of Wyckoff.

Firefighter attended the property at 380 Wyckoff Ave at about 2.45pm, where they found the detached garage engulfed in flames.

Mr Browne was lying outside, “suffering from numerous injuries,” according to Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli.

Investigators believe Mr Browne had used an accelerant to start the blaze.

The downward spiral accelerated. On the same day as the suspected arson, he was placed on paid administrative leave.

Two weeks later, on October 27, he resigned from his $167,500-a-year job as school boss.

Officials said, “It was in the best interest of both parties to end the employment relationship.”

It appears he was pressured to quit because his online antics were linked to a “work-issued device,” a source said.

On November 4, Mr Browne was charged with arson. And on November 23 — his 14th wedding anniversary — his wife, Monica, the superintendent in Upper Saddle River, filed for divorce.

The Ashley Madison website promised risk-free cheating, but that’s not what happened for Mr Browne.

Police, firefighter and education officials were tight-lipped last week, refusing to comment on neighbours’ online statements that Mr Browne superficially slit his wrists before starting the blaze in his historic, circa-1737 home.

In announcing Mr Browne’s departure in October, school-board president Tammy MacKay would only say he was quitting “for the purpose of retirement” and would collect three months of severance pay.

She declined to elaborate last week, citing nondisclosure laws. Mr Browne had been superintendent of the 4,900-student district since July 2011.

A source familiar with the melodrama told The Post that Browne “had an Ashley Madison account” and “self-reported to both his wife and the Board of Ed.”

David and Monica Browne, 45, did not return multiple messages seeking comment.

“I hope everybody understands that this is a family with two young children in a small community — and they deserve their privacy,” said Robert Landel, Monica Browne’s divorce lawyer.

Craig Swenson, David Browne’s criminal defence lawyer, said he is not yet privy to material such as police reports or statements his client may have made to authorities.

Swenson said Mr Browne was released from Hackensack University Medical Center and hasn’t been back to his house.

“I can tell you Mr Browne did not expect a divorce complaint to be filed,” Swenson said on Friday.

The wife’s divorce filing cites “irreconcilable differences ... which have caused a total breakdown of the marriage” but does not detail them.

Monica Browne is seeking custody of the couple’s 10- and 12-year-old children.

The Ashley Madison cyber attack and subsequent leak of account holders’ email addresses, have ruined lives.

Millions of ex-clients, many of whom said they had accounts but never actually hooked up, have been blackmailed by online thugs threatening to alert spouses, friends and co-workers to adulterous activity.

Originally published as Ashley Madison cheater could face jail after spectacular post-hack meltdown