British hacker responsible for GTA VI leaks handed indefinite hospital order
File photo.
An 18-year-old hacker in the United Kingdom (UK), who leaked 90 clips of the yet-to-be-released statement by City of London Police, "18-year-old Arion Kurtaj of Oxfordshire was given a restricted hospital order for an unlimited period under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and section 5 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1964."
"He was handed the order at the same court after a jury found that he had acted to commit numerous computer misuse, fraud, and blackmail offences," the statement added. The police also urged parents to be aware of their children's internet usage.
As per the hospital order, Kurtaj would have an 18-month supervision requirement, a six-month rehabilitation requirement, and a three-month intensive supervision and surveillance requirement.
Kurtaj carried out hacks while in police protection
A report by The Guardian on Thursday said that Kurtaj was on bail for hacking Nvidia and BT/EE and also in police protection at a hotel when he continued his hacking and breached Rockstar Games, the company that makes GTA.
The report said that despite having his laptop confiscated, the 18-year-old carried out his hacks using an Amazon Firestick, his hotel television, and a mobile phone. After breaking into Rockstar Games' Slack messaging channel, he said, "If Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code.” Kurtaj was a part of the Lapsus$ hacking group, and he posted the GTA VI clips and source code on a forum.
The court's verdict
On Thursday, a Southwark crown court heard that Kurtaj would remain at a secure hospital for life unless doctors deemed him no longer a danger. The court heard that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody, with reports of injury or property damage. Doctors deemed him unfit to stand trial due to his acute autism. The jury was asked to determine whether or not the 18-year-old committed the alleged acts, not if he did so with criminal intent, The Guardian further reported.
(With inputs from agencies)