That’s for the guy who “found” the phone. Chen’s criminal liability is more likely related to PC 496, reciving stolen property. Gizmodo has civil liability under the California Civil Code trade secrets act., CC3426.
I somehow think that some of the posters on this thread would take a different view if someone just “found” their car in the parking lot of the local Walgreens, and sold it to Gawker for five large.
But I could be wrong.
LOL ... yeah when it comes to your car, then it’s a different story...
What you seem to have missed is that the phone was most likely planted, not lost, for publicity benefit.
Apple had a chance to reclaim the phone when the finder tried to return it, but they wouldn’t have it. They wanted the phone out there.
.