- Cyberattack compromised accounts of high-profile figures such as former US President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and several other celebrities and business leaders.
British prosecutors have secured a civil recovery order against Joseph James O’Connor, requiring the 26-year-old to repay £4.1 million ($5.4 million) in Bitcoin and other crypto assets gained through his involvement in the infamous 2020 Twitter hack.
The cyberattack notably compromised the accounts of high-profile figures such as former US President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden (then the Democratic candidate), Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and several other celebrities and business leaders.
O’Connor, who was arrested in Spain in 2021 and later extradited to the United States, pleaded guilty to several charges—including computer intrusion, wire fraud, and extortion—and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2023.
The July 2020 breach led to the hijacking of prominent Twitter (now known as X) accounts to promote a cryptocurrency scam, which solicited digital currency and issued threats to celebrities.
Crypto assets to be liquidated
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that 42 Bitcoin and additional crypto assets linked to the scam will be seized and liquidated by a court-appointed trustee. The civil recovery order, granted last week, follows a previous property freezing order obtained during extradition proceedings.
Adrian Foster, chief crown prosecutor, emphasised that the UK authorities leveraged all available powers to ensure “they do not benefit from their criminality,” even if the conviction occurred outside Britain.
The 2020 incident forced X (then Twitter) to temporarily restrict access to all verified accounts, highlighting critical vulnerabilities at the social media giant and prompting a reevaluation of its security protocols.