Infamous British Hacker ‘PlugwalkJoe’ Receives Five-Year US Prison Sentence for Cryptocurrency Theft

In a groundbreaking ruling, British hacker Joseph O’Connor, known as PlugwalkJoe in the online world, has been handed a five-year prison sentence in the United States.

Notorious British Hacker Sentenced to Five Years in US Prison for Cryptocurrency Theft

British hacker Joseph O’Connor, who is famously recognized as PlugwalkJoe in the digital realm, has received a significant five-year prison sentence in the United States. Following his arrest in Spain in July 2021, O’Connor was subsequently extradited to the US on April 26, 2023. His guilty plea in May encompassed various charges related to computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies.

The announcement of O’Connor’s sentencing was disclosed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on June 23.

According to the statement, O’Connor has not been named, but it confirms that he gained unauthorized access to the accounts and computing systems of the exchange where the targeted executive worked by employing a SIM-swapping technique.

The court’s ruling includes not only the prison term but also a three-year period of supervised release. Additionally, O’Connor has been ordered to forfeit the exact amount he pilfered, which totals $794,012.64.

Furthermore, O’Connor’s criminal activities extend beyond the aforementioned SIM swap attack. He and his accomplices orchestrated the high-profile Twitter hack in July 2020, which netted them approximately $120,000 in stolen cryptocurrency.

The Twitter hack involved the deployment of social engineering techniques and SIM-swapping attacks, enabling O’Connor and his associates to seize control of around 130 prominent Twitter accounts.

Other Illegal Activities

In addition to their activities on Twitter, the group of cybercriminals also gained unauthorized access to two prominent accounts on TikTok and Snapchat. Exploiting their scheme, they deceived unsuspecting Twitter users and profited by selling access to compromised accounts.

One notable incident involved O’Connor attempting to blackmail a Snapchat victim by threatening to release private messages…