A British cybercriminal imprisoned in America for hijacking Twitter profiles belonging to Barack Obama, Jeff Bezos, and other prominent figures must surrender digital currency valued at roughly 4.1 million pounds. Joseph James O'Connor, age 26, received his sentence after acknowledging participation in breaches that allowed him to control celebrity and business accounts, which he exploited to promote fake Bitcoin investments while extorting some victims by threatening to leak their private communications.
Crown Prosecution Service officials obtained a Civil Recovery Order targeting 42 Bitcoin plus additional digital holdings connected to the scheme. Prosecutors collaborated with authorities in Spain, where O'Connor was apprehended, and American agencies to prevent him from hiding or moving the assets.
Adrian Foster of the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division said British legal powers extend to criminals convicted abroad, ensuring offenders cannot profit from illegal activity. The breach during July 2020 represented one of the platform's most serious security failures, affecting politicians, billionaires and major corporations while triggering worldwide investigations into social media vulnerabilities.
Crown Prosecution Service officials obtained a Civil Recovery Order targeting 42 Bitcoin plus additional digital holdings connected to the scheme. Prosecutors collaborated with authorities in Spain, where O'Connor was apprehended, and American agencies to prevent him from hiding or moving the assets.
Adrian Foster of the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division said British legal powers extend to criminals convicted abroad, ensuring offenders cannot profit from illegal activity. The breach during July 2020 represented one of the platform's most serious security failures, affecting politicians, billionaires and major corporations while triggering worldwide investigations into social media vulnerabilities.
