British man sentenced to 5 years in prison for hacking celebrity Twitter accounts

A British man, Joseph James O'Connor, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the US attorney's office for his involvement in hacking schemes that targeted the Twitter accounts of celebrities, including prominent figures like President Joe Biden and now Twitter owner Elon Musk, reported the Guardian. The US authorities announced the verdict on Friday, highlighting the severity of O'Connor's actions.

Joseph James O'Connor pleads guilty to cybercrimes targeting high-profile individuals

O'Connor admitted to participating in a hacking group that successfully compromised over 130 Twitter accounts, using them to promote a Bitcoin scam.

Among the victims were well-known entities such as Apple, Uber, Kanye West, Bill Gates, and former US President Barack Obama. In addition, O'Connor pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $794,000 in virtual currency from a cryptocurrency company based in New York.

The arrest of O'Connor took place nearly two years ago in Spain, following the hacking incident that occurred in July 2020. After extradition proceedings, he was brought to the United States in April to face the charges filed against him.

The list of charges includes conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and stalking of two victims, among others. The most serious charge could have carried a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

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Apart from the prison sentence, O'Connor has also been ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution of $794,000. The impact of his criminal activities has been significant, as he harassed, threatened, and extorted his victims, causing substantial emotional harm.

Kenneth A Polite Jr, an assistant attorney general in the US justice department's criminal division, emphasised the flagrant and malicious nature of O'Connor's conduct, noting his attempts to remain anonymous by using computers, stealth accounts, and aliases outside the United States.

This case also involves two other individuals who have been charged with federal crimes related to the hacking incident. Nima Fazeli, hailing from Florida, and Mason Sheppard, a resident of Bognor Regis in the UK, are both implicated in the cybercrimes.

Additionally, a Florida teenager named Graham Ivan Clark, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the hacking group, was sentenced to three years in juvenile prison in July 2021, as permitted under state law.

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The series of attacks on Twitter, which unfolded over several hours in July 2020, caused significant disruption and led the social media company to take unprecedented measures, including temporarily halting all verified accounts from tweeting.

The incident underscored the vulnerability of high-profile individuals and organisations to cybercrimes, prompting increased attention to cybersecurity measures and the need for robust safeguards to protect against future attacks.

 

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