British man linked to 2020 Twitter hack arrested in Spain

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Cyber criminals are getting more and more skilled, targeting a wider range of companies and institutions.

Spanish police have arrested a 22-year-old British citizen in the southern city of Estepona for his alleged involvement in the July 2020 Twitter hack. The US requested his arrest on multiple charges connected to the cyberscam.

Joseph O’Connor is also accused in a criminal complaint of computer intrusions linked with TikTok and Snapchat accounts takeovers, and cyberstalking a juvenile victim, according to the US Justice Department.

The hack resulted in the compromise of over 130 Twitter verified accounts last year, including those of high-profile politicians, celebrities and companies.

The alleged hacker posted tweets soliciting bitcoin digital currencies from the accounts taken over. Most promised to double people’s investment in a scam. Twitter was pushed to suspend those accounts from posting for hours until they were secured.

The case is being prosecuted in Californian courts. The UK’s National Crime Agency and the Spanish National Police assisted in the investigation and arrest.