International cybercrime member deemed psychiatrically unfit, faces indefinite confinement

In a landmark case, an 18-year-old hacker from Oxford, England, and key member of the notorious cybercrime gang Lapsus$, Arion Kurtaj, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital stay after the group orchestrated a massive leak of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA VI). Lapsus$ is infamous for similar breaches affecting major corporations like Uber and Nvidia.

Rockstar Games, the developer behind GTA, estimated the cost of recovering from the leak at a staggering $5 million. The breach involved the dissemination of over 90 videos and screenshots from GTA 6’s test build last year.

Due to Kurtaj’s diagnosis of autism, the court deemed him psychiatrically unfit to stand trial. Despite his absence in court, a judge emphasized the high risk posed to the public by the teenager’s advanced hacking skills.

The court also heard that Kurtaj displayed violent behavior while in custody, further raising concerns about potential threats to public safety.

In consideration of Kurtaj’s mental health assessment, jurors were tasked with determining whether he committed the alleged acts, rather than evaluating criminal intent. The outcome resulted in an indefinite hospital stay for the teen, with the condition that he remains confined until medical professionals assess him as no longer posing a danger.

Kurtaj, along with an unnamed 17-year-old accomplice, faces additional charges related to hacking and blackmail activities targeting BT Group and EE in 2021.

Rockstar Games, despite the setback caused by the leak, recently unveiled the highly anticipated trailer for GTA VI, creating significant anticipation among gaming enthusiasts. The release date for the game remains undisclosed.