A teen in Tampa, Florida, is accused of taking over the Twitter accounts of Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and other celebrities.
Though his name is not being published by the media (as he is a minor), the teen allegedly perpetrated a bitcoin scam known as “Bit-Con.” He is being charged with various fraud crimes for trying to get people to send him bitcoin by using the names of celebrities.
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren described the teen as the “mastermind” behind the attacks. “This ‘Bit-Con’ was designed to steal money from regular Americans from all over the country, including here in Florida. This massive fraud was orchestrated right here in our backyard, and we will not stand for that.”
The 30 charges filed include organized fraud, communications fraud, fraudulent use of personal information and access of computer or electronic device without authority.
Additional Resources
17-year-old accused of masterminding Twitter bitcoin scam, CNBC (July 31, 2020)
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