Hacker Gets 14 Months for SEC X Heist – Oh, the Drama!

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Well, well, well. Look who’s in hot water now. Eric Council Jr., a sprightly 26-year-old from Athens, Alabama, has been handed a hefty 14-month prison sentence for his role in a little cyber escapade that saw him poke around the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) official X (formerly Twitter) account. Not the kind of poke you want to be known for, my friend. 🍿

So, what happened? Hold onto your hats. Eric, in cahoots with a gang of others, decided to take a shortcut to fame and glory. They pulled off a slick SIM swap to access the SEC’s account, and on January 9, 2024, they dropped a bombshell of a post. The post claimed that the SEC had given the green light to Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). 🎉

Well, Bitcoin prices, of course, skyrocketed. A nice $1,000 surge, just like that. 💸 People must have been celebrating in their basements, their eyes glued to the screen. But, much like any wild dream, it came crashing down when the SEC came out to confirm it was all a hoax. Cue the facepalms. 🤦‍♂️

In the end, Eric Council Jr. fessed up in February 2025, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft. A real feel-good moment for all involved, I’m sure. And to top it off, Judge Amy Berman Jackson gave him 14 months to ponder the finer things in life, such as, you know, crime-free living. 📅

Oh, and let’s not forget the icing on the cake: the good judge also ordered him to forfeit something, though we’re not sure what it is. Maybe his dreams of being a Bitcoin mogul? 💰

For more thrilling updates, visit Coingape.com. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this rollercoaster.

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2025-05-16 23:16