Overview
- The Crown Prosecution Service obtained a Civil Recovery Order to seize 42 Bitcoin and other crypto assets linked to Joseph James O’Connor, valued at about £4.1 million.
- The order, made last week, follows a property freezing order secured during extradition proceedings and will be enforced through liquidation by a court‑appointed trustee.
- Court filings state the cryptocurrency is held in accounts opened by British associates Keir Holme and Kyle Lomax, who signed documents disclaiming any interest in the funds.
- O’Connor, 26, pleaded guilty in the United States in 2023 and received a five‑year sentence for the 2020 breach that hijacked high‑profile accounts to solicit Bitcoin and threaten celebrities.
- The High Court was told the crypto’s value has risen to roughly £4.136 million, while a separate U.S. forfeiture order against O’Connor has not been enforced in the UK.