Hacker Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

A Briton who hacked celebrities’ Twitter accounts has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States. Joseph James O’Connor, 26, pleaded guilty to charges including computer burglary, wire fraud, and extortion in 2023.

Background of the Hack

O’Connor was arrested and extradited from Spain in 2021 after the country’s highest court ruled that the United States was the best place to prosecute due to the availability of evidence and victims. The July 2020 hack compromised accounts of high-profile figures, including former US presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Extent of the Scam

O’Connor and his co-conspirators stole more than $794,000 worth of cryptocurrencies after using the hacked accounts to ask people to send $1,000 in Bitcoin to get twice as much back. The attack also affected the Twitter accounts of other high-profile personalities, including Tesla boss Elon Musk, investor Warren Buffett, and media personality and businesswoman Kim Kardashian.

Aftermath and Asset Seizure

The Crown Prosecution Service obtained a civil repatriation order to seize 42 Bitcoin and other crypto assets linked to the scam. A court-appointed trustee will liquidate O’Connor’s assets, which are estimated to be around £4.1 million. The order was made after freezing the hacker’s property, which prosecutors had seized as part of the extradition process.

Impact of the Hack

The hack caused the social media platform to temporarily freeze some accounts. According to Twitter, 130 accounts were attacked, 45 of which were used to send tweets. The incident highlighted the importance of cybersecurity and the need for individuals and organizations to protect themselves from cyber threats. Prosecutor Adrian Foster said the civil recovery order shows that "even if someone is not convicted in the UK, we are still able to ensure they do not profit from their criminality".