Three people in total, including one living in the United Kingdom, were indicted on Friday in the United States for the spectacular mid-July hacking of celebrity accounts on Twitter, the United States Department of Justice said in a statement on Friday.
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“Mason Sheppard, alias Chaewon, 19, domiciled in the United Kingdom, has been charged with conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and intentional access to a protected computer”, details the text.
Nima Fazeli, alias “Rolex”, 22, of Orlando, Florida, is suspected of aiding and abetting intentional access to a protected computer.
The third accused, a minor whose identity had been revealed earlier before American justice decided to keep his name silent, is considered the mastermind of the operation.
“There is a mistaken belief within the criminal hacker community that attacks like the Twitter hack can be carried out anonymously and without consequence,” said US Attorney David Anderson, officiating in Tampa, Florida. “I mean to potential violators, break the law and we will find you,” he said, quoted in a statement.