Kate and Jon Gosselin
Kate Gosselin has accused her ex-husband of hacking into her phone and stealing files from her computer for his tell-all book. REUTERS

Kate Gosselin has filed a lawsuit against her ex-husband claiming that he stole her computer hard drive and hacked into her phone to obtain incriminating material for his tell-all book.

The former reality star, who found fame with her brood on Jon & Kate Plus Eight, alleges that Jon Gosselin illegally accessed email, bank accounts and other private information for unauthorised e-book Kate Gosselin: How She Fooled the World.

According to the lawsuit filed in a Pennsylvania court, Gosselin says that Jon conspired with his business partner and tabloid writer Robert Hoffman- who is also named in the lawsuit -to access her records without her knowledge.

"After the couple was separated, Jon illegally hacked into Kate's email account and her phone and bank accounts. Jon also stole a hard drive from Kate's house, which contained private and confidential material," the suit alleges.

"Jon then gave the contents... to his friend and business partner, tabloid reporter Robert Hoffman.

"Hoffman used the illegally-acquired data to publish a defamatory book about Kate."

According to RadarOnline, Gosselin cites that Hoffman told her that he had recovered the computer data from her bin after digging through the trash.

"This demonstrates his knowledge that the materials were obtained illegally, as it is a sign of an attempt to cover up his unlawful activities," the suit states. "He did not find this trove of personal information while engaging in his trash-picking endeavours."

Although the 2012 defamatory book has been pulled from the market due to the alleged illegal nature in which the information was obtained, Gosselin says that the damage had already been done.

"Jon violated a federal anti-hacking statute in order to publish salacious, scandalous and defamatory information about Kate," said her lawyer A. Jordan Rushie. "It's damaged her reputation."

She is now seeking millions in compensatory, punitive, liquidated damages and attorney's fees and costs.

Gosselin and Jon, who married in June 1999, have been embroiled in a series of lawsuits following their split in 2009.

Gosselin retains primary custody of 12-year-old daughters Mady and Cara, along with nine-year-old sextuplets Alexis, Collin, Joel, Hannah, Leah and Aaden.