Almeida Law Group is investigating a data breach at Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C. The breach occurred on January 13th–20th, 2026 and was discovered on August 13th, 2026. If you were affected, contact Almeida Law Group.
About Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C.
Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C. is a certified public accounting firm based in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating out of 2607 Kingston Pike, Suite 110. Founded in 1980, the firm provides tax planning, tax return preparation, consulting, financial statement review, audit services, bookkeeping, and payroll services to individuals and businesses throughout East Tennessee. Because CPA firms routinely handle sensitive financial and identity documents for their clients, a breach exposing names, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers carries significant risk of identity theft and financial fraud.
What Happened?
Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C. was listed in a Texas Attorney General data security breach report published on September 4th, 2026. According to the firm’s breach notification letter filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General, an unauthorized actor gained access to the firm’s network between January 13th and January 21st, 2026 and potentially downloaded certain files. The firm engaged independent cybersecurity experts to assist with its investigation. The process of identifying affected individuals was completed on August 13th, 2026. A total of 43,605 individuals were affected. The compromised information included names, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. Notification letters were sent to affected consumers by U.S. Mail. No ransomware group has claimed responsibility for this incident.
The seven-month gap between the start of the breach and its discovery is notable. The breach was reported to the Texas Attorney General on September 4th, 2026 and to the South Carolina Attorney General on September 3rd, 2026. Law firm Shamis & Gentile P.A. is investigating the incident for a potential class action lawsuit on behalf of affected individuals, though no filed complaint has been located as of September 4th, 2026.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Company or Organization: Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C.
- Industry: Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (CPA Firm)
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
- Incident type: Unauthorized network access with potential file download
- Date of breach: January 13th, 2026 – January 20th, 2026
- Date breach discovered: August 13th, 2026
- Date of consumer notification: September 4th, 2026
- Total persons affected: 43,605
- Litigation status: Class action investigation by Shamis & Gentile P.A.; no complaint filed as of September 4th, 2026
- Source: Texas Attorney General Data Security Breach Report; Brown, Jake & McDaniel P.C. Breach Notification Letter (Massachusetts AG); Claim Depot – Brown, Jake & McDaniel Data Breach Investigation
What Should You Do?
If you received a notification letter from Brown, Jake & McDaniel, P.C., take steps now to protect yourself. Review any identity theft protection offer included with your notice and enroll before the deadline if one is provided. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name. Monitor your existing financial accounts closely for unauthorized activity, and request your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com to check for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries. If you believe your information has already been misused, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report the theft and get a personalized recovery plan.
Your Legal Rights
If your personal information was involved in this breach, you may have legal rights depending on the facts of the incident and the law in your state. Almeida Law Group represents consumers in data breach and privacy litigation and can help you evaluate whether you may have a claim. Contact us at (708) 529-5418 or through our contact page for a free case evaluation.
