The US Justice Department announced on Tuesday that a British citizen who was extradited from Spain last month has pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and computer hacking, including the 2020
Twitter hack. Joseph James O'Connor, 23, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering. He will also forfeit over $794,000 and pay restitution to victims. O'Connor faces a maximum sentence of 77 years in prison on June 23.
The Twitter hack targeted various verified accounts, including those of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and former President Barack Obama. Twitter prevented verified accounts from publishing messages until security was restored.
O'Connor's co-conspirators also stole at least $794,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite called O'Connor's actions "flagrant and malicious," and said that his victims experienced substantial emotional harm due to his harassment, threats, and extortion.Photo by w:User:Coolcaesar, Wikimedia commons.