British Hacker Must Repay $5.4M After Twitter Crypto Scam
A British man has been ordered to repay £4.1 million, or about $5.4 million, in Bitcoin after running one of the most infamous crypto scams ever seen on Twitter. The scam involved hijacking accounts belonging to some of the most recognizable figures in the world. A civil recovery order was granted by UK prosecutors to seize 42 Bitcoin, along with other digital assets linked to the fraud.
A Cyberattack That Took Over the Biggest Names on Twitter
The hacker, Joseph James O’Connor from Liverpool, admitted guilt in the US last year. He faced charges including wire fraud, computer intrusion, and extortion. Back in July 2020, he and his team managed to take over more than 130 Twitter accounts.
Man who hacked Barack Obama and Jeff Bezos ordered to hand over £4million worth of Bitcoin.
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https://t.co/7ciEWH1Jq9 pic.twitter.com/FckqXI0fTh
— Crown Prosecution Service (@CPSUK) November 17, 2025
The list of victims was like a roll call of global influence; Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, and Kim Kardashian were just a few of the names involved. The scammers used those accounts to push a fake Bitcoin giveaway, telling followers they would double any crypto sent to a listed wallet address.
The Value of the Stolen Crypto Ballooned Over Time
At the time of the attack, the total amount of stolen Bitcoin came to around $794,000, or £629,000. But with the rise in Bitcoin’s value over the years, that pot of stolen crypto has grown dramatically.
By the time the UK court issued the recovery order, the assets had climbed to over £4 million. Even though the UK didn’t bring criminal charges against O’Connor, they went after the money using a civil case under the Proceeds of Crime Act. A trustee will now oversee the process of selling off the seized crypto and returning the funds to public control.
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The Scam Exposed Bigger Weaknesses
The hack wasn’t just about money. It also revealed how quickly high‑profile social media accounts can be turned into powerful tools for financial scams. These were some of the biggest names in politics, tech, and entertainment.
That gave the scam a massive reach in just a short window of time. The incident served as a wake-up call for social media companies and reminded crypto users to be extremely cautious of too-good-to-be-true promises online.
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What Happens Next With the Money and the Case
Now that the order has been made, attention turns to how smoothly the UK government can recover the funds. It will also be important to see if more cases like this are handled using civil powers.
The ability to track crypto across borders and seize it legally is still evolving, and this case could influence how future recoveries are approached.
One Big Lesson in a World of Fast-Moving Tech and Crime
The fact that Joseph James O’Connor now owes $5.4 million after exploiting some of the most influential Twitter accounts shows how online crime and crypto can intersect in dangerous ways. It also shows that enforcement agencies are finding new ways to fight back, even if they have to go beyond traditional courtroom routes to get there.
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Key Takeaways
like Elon Musk and Barack Obama to push fake Bitcoin giveaways.
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