In a landmark ruling following one of the most high-profile social media security breaches, a British national convicted of orchestrating the 2020 Twitter account hijacking scheme has been ordered to repay $5 million in restitution. The sophisticated cybercrime operation targeted prominent figures including Elon Musk, Barack Obama, and major corporate accounts to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes.
The coordinated attack, which temporarily compromised Twitter’s internal systems, resulted in perpetrators posting unauthorized Bitcoin investment solicitations to millions of followers. The fraudulent messages promised doubled cryptocurrency returns, netting the criminal enterprise over $100,000 in digital assets from unsuspecting victims during the brief but impactful security breach.
United States District Court Judge ordered the substantial restitution payment after the defendant previously pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. The ruling represents one of the first major financial penalties imposed in a cryptocurrency-related social media hacking case and establishes significant precedent for future digital asset fraud prosecutions.
Legal experts note this judgment sends a strong message about the serious financial consequences facing perpetrators of cryptocurrency fraud schemes. The case has prompted renewed focus on social media platform security protocols and regulatory frameworks governing digital asset transactions across international jurisdictions.
