Joseph O’Connor, Twitter Hack, California 2020

A 22-year-old UK citizen, Joseph O’Connor, was arrested in Estepona, Spain, by Spanish National Police in connection with a 2020 hack of Twitter that compromised over 130 accounts belonging to politicians, celebrities, and companies.

According to court documents, O’Connor is charged with multiple counts related to the July 15, 2020 hack of Twitter, as well as takeovers of TikTok and Snapchat user accounts, and cyberstalking a juvenile victim.

O’Connor is charged with three counts of conspiracy to intentionally access a computer without authorization and obtaining information from a protected computer; two counts of intentionally accessing a computer without authorization and obtaining information from a protected computer; one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a computer without authorization and, with the intent to extort from a person a thing of value, transmitting a communication containing a threat; one count of making extortive communications; one count of making threatening communications; and two counts of cyberstalking.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair of the FBI San Francisco Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Francisco Division is investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation Cyber Unit; the U.S. Secret Service, San Francisco and Headquarters; and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and its REACT task force.

Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Rose of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Frentzen and Andrew Dawson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance. The U.K.’s National Crime Agency and the Spanish National Police provided assistance in the investigation and arrest.

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