Conor Fitzpatrick, the administrator behind BreachForums and known as Pompompurin in the cybercriminal community, was re-arrested for violating pretrial release conditions, including using an unmonitored computer and a VPN, on January 2nd this year.
On March 15th, Conor Fitzpatrick was arrested for the first time and, in the absence of an attorney, confessed to being the cybercriminal known as Pompompurin, the administrator of the now-defunct BreachForums hacking forum. Following the FBI’s seizure of RaidForums in 2022, Fitzpatrick established BreachForums to continue his activities.
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Key Takeaways
- Conor Fitzpatrick, known as Pompompurin in the cybercrime world and the administrator of BreachForums, was re-arrested on January 2nd.
- Following the FBI’s shutdown of RaidForums in 2022, Fitzpatrick established BreachForums, continuing his cybercriminal activities.
- BreachForums was involved in various illegal activities, from selling sensitive personal information to providing unauthorized access to systems.
- Fitzpatrick faces serious legal consequences for his actions, including up to 10 years in prison.
The Dark Commerce of BreachForums
BreachForums, emerging as the successor to the infamous RaidForums, quickly became a significant player in the cybercrime ecosystem. With over 340,000 members, it facilitated the trade of stolen data, hacking tools, and other illicit materials, becoming a hub for cybercriminals worldwide.
The platform’s extensive reach and diverse offerings made it a key target for law enforcement agencies. The platform was involved in a myriad of criminal activities, ranging from selling sensitive information such as bank account details and social security numbers to providing services for unauthorized access to systems and compromised account information.
This diversity in illegal offerings made BreachForums a one-stop-shop for cybercriminals looking to exploit stolen data.
Repeated Legal Violations
On January 2, the FBI took Conor Fitzpatrick into custody, where he will remain until his upcoming court dates. These include hearings for violating his pretrial agreement and his primary sentencing.
Fitzpatrick’s pretrial release terms were stringent, barring him from contacting minors (except his sibling under adult supervision), accessing cybercrime-related websites, creating new domains or websites, seeking employment, or enrolling in educational programs.
Fitzpatrick faces severe legal consequences for his actions. Each of his two charges of access device fraud could result in up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, full restitution to victims, and forfeiture of assets, including over $698,714 in proceeds, cryptocurrencies, property, domains, and related electronic hardware.
"Amateurs hack systems, professionals hack people."
-- Bruce Schneier, a renown computer security professional
