🚀 AT&T Faces Court Over User Data Protection Failures
#ATT #UserDataProtection #SIMSwap #Cryptocurrency #LegalBattle #MichaelTerpin #CourtCase #CyberCrime #BabyAlCapone #FederalCommunicationsAct #Compensation #PIinsky #NicholasTruglia
According to Cointelegraph, AT&T will return to court to face charges of failing to protect user information after a part of a summary judgment in its favor was overturned on appeal. The case originated in 2020 when crypto investor Michael Terpin sued a recent high school graduate for stealing $24 million in cryptocurrency through a SIM swap that bypassed two-factor authentication on one of Terpin’s crypto wallets.
Ellis Pinsky, who was 15 in 2018, and an accomplice bribed an AT&T employee to transfer Terpin’s SIM card information onto a blank card in their phone. This led to a complex legal battle that earned Pinsky the nickname “Baby Al Capone” and involved him in a potentially precedent-setting case against AT&T. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that Terpin’s claims were rightfully dismissed, except for the claim under Section 222 of the Federal Communications Act, which protects SIM card information. The court did not reinstate Terpin’s fraud claim against AT&T or his demand for $216 million in punitive damages.
Terpin’s lead attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, stated that Terpin will now seek “$24 million plus at least $14 million of interest plus his attorney’s fees for a total of at least $45 million” from AT&T. Initially, Terpin brought 16 charges against AT&T, but only three were allowed to proceed. Terpin used his investigative skills to track down Pinsky, who returned $2 million to him. In May 2020, after Pinsky had turned 18, Terpin sued him for $71.4 million — the balance of the stolen funds plus three times the damages as allowed for racketeering charges. Pinsky agreed to testify on Terpin’s behalf in the case against AT&T.
Terpin also sued Pinsky’s accomplice, Nicholas Truglia, for $75.8 million in 2019 and won the case. Truglia was 21 at the time of the heist. The dramatic events surrounding Truglia and Pinsky’s meeting online were documented in a feature story in Rolling Stone in 2022. Pinsky recently graduated from New York University.#ATT #UserDataProtection #SIMSwap #Cryptocurrency #LegalBattle #MichaelTerpin #CourtCase #CyberCrime #BabyAlCapone #FederalCommunicationsAct #Compensation #PIinsky #NicholasTruglia
🚀 Alleged Hacker Of SEC Account Granted Holiday Travel
#Hacker #SEC #Bitcoin #ETFs #Court #Travel #Crypto #Fraud #IdentityTheft #SIMSwap #MarketUphaval #Trial #BTC #ETH
According to Cointelegraph, Eric Council Jr., accused of hacking the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's X account in January, has been permitted to travel for the holidays. A recent court filing on December 13 by Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the US District Court for the District of Columbia allows Council to travel to North Carolina with a third-party custodian from December 23 to December 29. The judge stipulated that Council must provide Pre-Trial Services with his detailed itinerary and accommodation information at least two business days before his travel.
Council has pleaded not guilty to charges related to hacking the SEC's X account on January 9, where he allegedly posted a false message claiming the approval of spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This message, which included a fabricated quote from SEC Chair Gary Gensler, caused a temporary market upheaval before the SEC officially approved the investment vehicles approximately 24 hours later. The misleading post has since been deleted.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Council in Alabama on October 17. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, to which he has pleaded not guilty. As of now, a trial date has not been set, but the judge indicated that a plea agreement could be filed by January 17, requiring Council's in-person court appearance.
Prior to the alleged hacking incident, there was significant anticipation within the crypto industry regarding the SEC's decision on allowing US exchanges to list spot ETFs linked to Bitcoin. Authorities claim that Council was part of a group that executed a SIM swap attack to gain control of the SEC's X account, leading to a brief surge in Bitcoin's price by over $1,000. Following the hack, it was reported that the SEC's X account lacked two-factor authentication. The commission did not report any issues with its social media accounts in May when it approved spot Ether (ETH) exchange-traded products.#Hacker #SEC #Bitcoin #ETFs #Court #Travel #Crypto #Fraud #IdentityTheft #SIMSwap #MarketUphaval #Trial #BTC #ETH
🚀 T-Mobile Held Liable for SIM Swap Cryptocurrency Theft in Landmark Arbitration
#TMobile #SIMswap #CryptocurrencyTheft #Arbitration #SecurityFailures #LegalVictory #ConsumerProtection #TelecomAccountability
According to BlockBeats, law firm Greenberg Glusker has secured a $33 million arbitration award against telecom giant T-Mobile, marking a significant milestone in holding telecom operators accountable for SIM swap-related cryptocurrency theft. The arbitration panel found T-Mobile responsible for multiple security failures that enabled SIM swap attacks, leading to the theft of cryptocurrency.
The final amount, which includes over $6.5 million in attorney fees, interest, and costs, has been fully paid by T-Mobile. Greenberg Glusker has filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court to confirm the award and make the case details public. The law firm highlighted the scale and importance of this outcome. During the arbitration, Greenberg Glusker attorney Pierce O'Donnell led the cross-examination, stating, "This is the largest known SIM swap-related award and a significant victory for mobile phone consumers."
The firm emphasized that its litigation team, comprising O'Donnell, Paul Blechner, James Molen, and Eric Sefton, demonstrated T-Mobile's long-standing failure to address known security vulnerabilities.
Blechner, who examined key witnesses including the attackers who executed the SIM swap, remarked, "This is a great result for our client and mobile users worldwide. SIM swapping has been an uncontrolled security vulnerability for years. Operators like T-Mobile have long been aware of this issue but failed to take basic preventive measures. This award indicates they must do better."#TMobile #SIMswap #CryptocurrencyTheft #Arbitration #SecurityFailures #LegalVictory #ConsumerProtection #TelecomAccountability
🚀 Silent.Link Enhances Privacy for Bitcoin Users with eSIM Services
#SilentLink #BitcoinPrivacy #eSIM #DataSecurity #Roaming #SIMSwap #TravelPrivacy #BlockchainSecurity #PrivacySolutions #BitcoinUsers #BTC
Silent.Link, a company focused on Bitcoin-native solutions, has introduced eSIM-only global data and incoming SMS services designed for travelers who prioritize privacy. According to NS3.AI, the service mitigates SIM-swap attack risks through a unique key-based authentication system that does not require personal user data collection. Additionally, it automates roaming without incurring extra charges and allows users to bypass state firewalls, thereby improving security and convenience for Bitcoin users on the go.#SilentLink #BitcoinPrivacy #eSIM #DataSecurity #Roaming #SIMSwap #TravelPrivacy #BlockchainSecurity #PrivacySolutions #BitcoinUsers #BTC
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