The individual responsible for hacking the X accounts of notable figures—including former President Barack Obama and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—has been ordered to pay restitution. Prosecutors indicated on Monday that the Bitcoin obtained by this person was acquired through illegal means.
The Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales has announced a civil recovery order aimed at reclaiming 42 bitcoins and various other digital currencies from Joseph James O’Connor, a British national. The total value of the seized assets is estimated to be around £4.1 million (approximately $5.4 million).
Efforts to enforce this order involved collaboration with authorities in the United States and Spain, which helped ensure that O’Connor would not hide any assets from the legal system.
The issuance of this civil rehabilitation order is set for November 14, 2025, at which point a court-appointed receiver will manage the liquidation of the digital currency assets.
Previously, O’Connor served time in the U.S. due to his involvement in cyber-crimes, including Bitcoin fraud and threats involving private messages and images of celebrities.
This hacking episode dates back to 2020, when a series of bizarre tweets originated from verified accounts on X (then known as Twitter). Prominent figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and others appeared to endorse a Bitcoin fraud scheme.
A now-deleted tweet promised to double any Bitcoin payments made to a specified address.
O’Connor was extradited to the United States and entered a guilty plea in May 2023. The Justice Department revealed that he conducted SIM swap attacks to steal cryptocurrency, hacked into Twitter, and breached social media accounts.
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