UK Orders Twitter Hacker to Repay £4.1 Million Following 2020 High-Profile Breach
British authorities secure civil recovery of cryptocurrency from Joseph James O’Connor after the Twitter hack that targeted Barack Obama and other public figures.
A British national who participated in a high-profile 2020 hack of social media accounts—including that of former U.S. President Barack Obama—has been ordered by UK prosecutors to repay approximately £4.1 million (about US$5.4 million) in Bitcoin and other crypto assets following a civil recovery order.
The individual, Joseph James O’Connor, pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of computer intrusion, wire fraud and extortion and was sentenced in 2023 to five years in prison.
UK authorities secured a civil recovery order last week, which targets 42 Bitcoin and additional cryptocurrency holdings linked to the scam.
Prosecutors noted the order was made under the proceeds-of-crime framework and that the assets will be liquidated via a court-appointed trustee.
“We were able to use the full force of the powers available to us to ensure that even when someone is not convicted in the UK, we are still able to ensure they do not benefit from their criminality,” said the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor responsible.
The original breach in July 2020 compromised the accounts of dozens of public figures—including then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, Elon Musk of Tesla, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Kim Kardashian—and forced Twitter (now X) to temporarily restrict all verified accounts.
The hackers used the hijacked profiles to solicit cryptocurrency and issued threats to celebrities and their followers.
O’Connor was arrested in Spain in 2021 and later extradited to the U.S., after Spain’s High Court ruled that the U.S. was the most appropriate jurisdiction for prosecution because the victims and evidence were located there.
While he was convicted in America, the UK has now invoked its civil recovery regime to ensure he cannot retain the gains despite the absence of a domestic conviction.
The civil recovery order demonstrates the UK’s growing ability to apply its legal powers to cryptocurrency-related crime, even when criminal prosecution occurs overseas.
The liquidated funds will be managed by a trustee and are intended to deny the offender the financial benefit of the illicit activity rather than to compensate victims directly.
Authorities did not provide a detailed timeline for the asset sale or distribution, but indicated the process is underway through the High Court channels.
The individual, Joseph James O’Connor, pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of computer intrusion, wire fraud and extortion and was sentenced in 2023 to five years in prison.
UK authorities secured a civil recovery order last week, which targets 42 Bitcoin and additional cryptocurrency holdings linked to the scam.
Prosecutors noted the order was made under the proceeds-of-crime framework and that the assets will be liquidated via a court-appointed trustee.
“We were able to use the full force of the powers available to us to ensure that even when someone is not convicted in the UK, we are still able to ensure they do not benefit from their criminality,” said the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor responsible.
The original breach in July 2020 compromised the accounts of dozens of public figures—including then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, Elon Musk of Tesla, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Kim Kardashian—and forced Twitter (now X) to temporarily restrict all verified accounts.
The hackers used the hijacked profiles to solicit cryptocurrency and issued threats to celebrities and their followers.
O’Connor was arrested in Spain in 2021 and later extradited to the U.S., after Spain’s High Court ruled that the U.S. was the most appropriate jurisdiction for prosecution because the victims and evidence were located there.
While he was convicted in America, the UK has now invoked its civil recovery regime to ensure he cannot retain the gains despite the absence of a domestic conviction.
The civil recovery order demonstrates the UK’s growing ability to apply its legal powers to cryptocurrency-related crime, even when criminal prosecution occurs overseas.
The liquidated funds will be managed by a trustee and are intended to deny the offender the financial benefit of the illicit activity rather than to compensate victims directly.
Authorities did not provide a detailed timeline for the asset sale or distribution, but indicated the process is underway through the High Court channels.
