Published 12 days ago • loading... • Updated 10 days ago

Man pleads guilty to role in SEC social media account hack that led the price of bitcoin to spike

An Alabama man, Eric Council Jr., pleaded guilty to hacking the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's X account, causing Bitcoin's value to temporarily rise by over $1,000.
Council's actions involved a fraudulent SIM swap and impersonation of a victim to gain access to the SEC's account.
After the SEC regained control, they confirmed the post was false, leading to a decline in Bitcoin's value by more than $2,000.
Council faces up to five years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 16, 2025, according to the Department of Justice.

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Gizmodo

Man Who Hijacked SEC's X Account to Pump Bitcoin Faces Up to Five Years in Prison

The Alabama man took over the SEC's X account to falsely post that the agency had approved Bitcoin ETFs, sending the cryptocurrency's price soaring.

10 days ago·United States

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The Register

Man who SIM-swapped the SEC's X account pleads guilty

Said to have asked search engine 'What are some signs that the FBI is after you?'

11 days ago

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The Independent

What to do if your social media accounts are hacked

Having your social media hacked can be a daunting experience

11 days ago·London, United Kingdom

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Engadget

Man from Alabama pleads guilty over SEC's fake bitcoin post on X

Eric Council Jr. from Alabama has pleaded guilty to being a co-conspirator in the unauthorized takeover of the US Securities and Exchange Commission's Twitter account last year. The DOJ says he was the one who carried out the SIM swapping that made the takeover possible.

11 days ago·United States

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CNBC

Man pleads guilty in hack of SEC's X account that claimed approval of bitcoin ETFs

11 days ago·United States

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Alabama Live

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speakinoutweeklynews.net

Alabama man hacked Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account, tanked Bitcoin’s value

An Alabama man pleaded guilty Monday to the 2024 hack of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account which temporarily caused the Bitcoin value to sharply drop.Eric Council Jr., a 25-year-old Athens man, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity and access device fraud.

11 days ago·Alabama, United States

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