Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Mar 14, 2025

Briton pleads guilty to hacking stars' Twitter accounts to steal Bitcoin

Briton pleads guilty to hacking stars' Twitter accounts to steal Bitcoin

The hacker will have to pay back the hundreds of thousands of dollars he stole from people and faces decades behind bars.

A British man has pleaded guilty to hacking Twitter accounts - including Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk - in a bid to con people out of Bitcoin.

Joseph O'Connor, 23, also admitted other hacking schemes, cyberstalking a young victim, and money laundering charges.

He was extradited from Spain to New York last month and faces as much as 77 years in jail when he is sentenced on 23 June.

O'Connor and his co-conspirators stole more than $794,000 (£629,000) of cryptocurrency - money he must give back to victims, according to prosecutors.

Twitter had to freeze some of the stars' accounts after the tweets in July 2020 urged people to send $1,000 in Bitcoin to receive double back.

He also hacked accounts belonging to Kanye West, Joe Biden, Bill Gates, investor Warren Buffett, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Amazon's Jeff Bezos.

Twitter confirmed 130 accounts were targeted, with 45 used to send tweets.

The company said the hackers got access via a social engineering attack - a breach based on convincing someone to provide access, rather than finding flaws in software.

Twitter said at the time that "a small number of employees" were called over the phone and tricked into providing their login credentials.

Barack Obama was among those hacked


The amateur quality of the scam surprised many compared with how effective the attackers had been at gaining access.

"O'Connor's criminal activities were flagrant and malicious, and his conduct impacted multiple people's lives," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite.

"He harassed, threatened, and extorted his victims, causing substantial emotional harm."

British citizen Joseph James O'Connor is led by Spanish police officers as he leaves a court in July 2021


O'Connor, who was known online by the handle PlugWalkJoe and previously gave interviews to the media regarding the hack, was arrested in July 2021 in Spain at the request of the FBI.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
These are currently increasing in the UK.
Trump's Encounter with the Irish Prime Minister Takes an Unforeseen Twist Regarding Fashion and Economic Matters.
Isabel, a Russian native, wed Zahid Ali Khan, describing it as "love at first sight." She adores him for his character, not his $740 million fortune.
Chair Refers to Transgender Representative as 'Mr. McBride' During Congressional Meeting
The ICC's Revenge on Behalf of Drug Dealers, Against Philippine President Duterte, Who Fought Them and Saved 100 Million Filipinos from the Drugs-Death Industry—ignoring the fact that every victory comes at a cost
Canada Expresses Concerns Regarding U.S. Trade Policies Before G7 Meeting
FBI Alerts of Increasing Smishing Scams Aiming at Mobile Users
World Bank Officials Facing Examination for Travel-Related Carbon Emissions
EU and Canada Declare Countermeasures in Response to U.S. Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren: An In-Depth Exploration of Their Marital Struggles and Current Co-Parenting Efforts
Ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Detained in Manila Under ICC Warrant
Mark Carney Chosen as Head of Canada's Liberal Party, Poised to Assume Role of Prime Minister
Russia Kicks Out British Diplomats in Escalated Tensions
Significant Rescue Effort in Progress Following Collision Between Tanker and Cargo Ship in the North Sea
Pope Francis Exhibits Signs of Recovery, Yet Remains Hospitalized
Report of Radioactive Coolant Leak at Europe’s Largest Nuclear Reactor
Trump Administration Launches Self-Deportation App for Undocumented Immigrants
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Executions
Trump Remarks on the Arrest of a Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury to Resign Following Assault Conviction
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Prepares for Spring Statement Amid Economic Challenges
Home Secretary Denies Public Inquiry into Sir David Amess's Murder
UK Energy Bills to Increase by 80 Pence to Support Discounts for Households Near Pylons
Russian Teacher Under Investigation After Explicit Content Incident in Classroom
Poland Plans Comprehensive Military Training for All Adult Males Amid Enhanced Defense Initiatives
Lithuania Withdraws from Cluster Munitions Convention Amid Security Concerns
Escalating Vandalism Targets Tesla Amid Political Controversies
Former Security Adviser Cautions That UK Troop Presence in Ukraine May Last for Years
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben Carrying Palestinian Flag
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe Suspended Amid Allegations of Violence and Bullying
Private spacecraft Athena has successfully landed close to the Moon's south pole.
Trump Administration Unveils Gold Card Visa Program Exempting Foreign Assets from U.S. Taxation
Trump Holds White House Summit for Cryptocurrency Leaders Amid Financial Scandals
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Highlights the Importance of the US in Attaining Peace
Trump Discovers Negotiating with Russia More Manageable than with Ukraine During Ongoing Conflict
Google Eliminates Women's History Month and Various Cultural Celebrations from Calendar App
Pope Francis Offers Thanks Despite Continuing Health Issues
King Charles III Reveals Curated Playlist on Apple Music in Anticipation of Commonwealth Day.
Disney's Biggest Cruise Ship Set to Debut in Singapore
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, the former 'Baywatch' star, tragically took her own life at the age of 62.
NYPD Detective Encounters Criticism for Viral Music Video Appearance
Trinity College Dublin Honors Eavan Boland by Naming a Building After Her, Signifying a Landmark Achievement
Ex-UK Ambassador Cautions Against a Significant Change in US-UK Relations.
UK Government Confirms Prohibition on Issuing New North Sea Drilling Licences During Shift to Clean Energy
Macron Cautions Against Growing Russian Aggression as U.S. Support for Ukraine Evolves
Trump Offers Short-Term Tariff Waiver to Automakers During Trade Strains
Tesla's UK Sales Increase Despite a Wider European Decline and CEO's Political Engagement
Court Rejects Elon Musk's Request to Block OpenAI's Shift to For-Profit, Accelerates Trial Schedule
Global Scam Operation Takes Advantage of Phony Celebrity Promotions to Swindle Thousands
Assurances from Barclays Chairman Postponed Investigation into CEO's Connections with Jeffrey Epstein
×