Overview
- Prosecutors said the order, granted last week, covers 42 Bitcoin and other assets worth about £4.1 million as of November 10, which a court‑appointed trustee will liquidate.
- The CPS used proceeds‑of‑crime powers following earlier freezing orders, emphasizing that civil recovery can block illicit gains even without a UK conviction.
- O’Connor, 26, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York in 2023 and received a five‑year sentence, with orders to forfeit $794,012 and pay $2.19 million in restitution.
- The July 2020 attack used social engineering and SIM‑swapping to access internal Twitter tools, hijacking more than 130 high‑profile accounts for a “double your money” Bitcoin scheme and extortion threats.
- Investigators said the crypto was held in UK accounts opened by two associates who disclaimed any interest, and the stash grew substantially in value since the 2020 theft.