LAPSUS$ Hacker Sentenced to Indefinite Stay in Secure Hospital

Unique Points

• Arion Kurtaj from Oxford, who is autistic, was a key member of international gang Lapsus$.
• Another Lapsus$ member, who is 17 and cannot be named because of his age, was found guilty in the same trial.
• Kurtaj breached Rockstar's internal Slack messaging system to declare "if Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code".
• He publicly posted the code and clips of the video game shortly thereafter.

Accuracy

• The article mentions that the LAPSUS$ group is made up of members from the U.K. and Brazil.
• Another LAPSUS$ member was sentenced to an 18-month long Youth Rehabilitation Order, including a three-month intensive supervision and surveillance requirement.
• The notoriety attracted by LAPSUS$ has also led to the emergence of another group called Scattered Spider.
• Both groups are part of a larger entity that calls itself the Comm.
• According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Comm consists of a geographically diverse group of individuals, organized in various subgroups, all of whom coordinate through online communication applications such as Discord and Telegram to engage in corporate intrusions, SIM swapping, crypto theft, real-life violence, and swatting.

Deception (50%)

• The author does not cite any sources for his claims, nor does he provide any evidence to support his assertions.
• The author uses sensationalism by highlighting the high-profile attacks against various companies, suggesting that these are significant and impactful events.
• The author uses selective reporting by only mentioning the consequences faced by the teens, such as being sentenced to prison or hospital orders, without providing any details about their victims, the extent of their damages, or the measures taken by the companies to prevent future attacks.
• The author uses science and health articles that imply facts without linking to peer-reviewed studies that have not been retracted, such as the DHS report on the CSRB's findings about the LAPSUS$ gang's use of SIM-swapping attacks and Telegram channel. The author does not disclose that these articles are not peer-reviewed or pre-print, nor does he cite any references for them.
• The author uses false claims by implying that the teens were part of a larger entity called the Comm, which is said to comprise members from different countries and engage in various illegal activities, such as crypto theft, real-life violence, and swatting. The author does not provide any proof or verification for these allegations, nor does he distinguish between the actions of the LAPSUS$ subgroup and the broader Comm entity.
• The author uses emotional manipulation by describing the teens as part of a cyber crime and extortion gang, implying that they are dangerous criminals who pose a threat to society.
• The author implies that the teens were part of a larger entity called the Comm, which is said to comprise members from different countries and engage in various illegal activities, such as crypto theft, real-life violence, and swatting. The author does not provide any proof or verification for these allegations, nor does he distinguish between the actions of the LAPSUS$ subgroup and the broader Comm entity.
• The author does not provide any context or explanation for why these attacks occurred, nor does he acknowledge any mitigating factors or circumstances that may have influenced the teens' actions.

Fallacies (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Bias (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Unique Points

• Arion Kurtaj is an autistic hacker who was a key member of the international Lapsus$ gang.
• The Lapsus$ gang's attacks on tech giants including Uber, Nvidia and Rockstar Games cost the firms nearly $10m.
• Kurtaj had been violent while in custody with dozens of reports of injury or property damage.
• He stole 90 clips of the unreleased and hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 using an Amazon Firestick, his hotel TV and a mobile phone.
• Kurtaj breached Rockstar's internal Slack messaging system to declare "if Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code".
• He was rearrested and detained until his trial.
• Another Lapsus$ member, who is 17 and cannot be named because of his age, was found guilty in the same trial.
• The 17-year-old was sentenced to an 18 month long Youth Rehabilitation Order, including intense supervision and a ban on using VPNs online.
• Kurtaj and the 17-year-old are the first members of the Lapsus$ group to be convicted but it is thought others are still at large.
• The gang's audacious attacks in 2021 and 2022 shocked the cyber-security world.

Accuracy

• The hacker breached Rockstar's internal messaging system to declare "if Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code".
• The hacker stole 90 clips of the unreleased and hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 using an Amazon Firestick, his hotel TV and a mobile phone.
• The hacker was violent while in custody with dozens of reports of injury or property damage.

Deception (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Fallacies (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Bias (85%)

• GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has been dog-whistling to supporters of extremist far-right ideologies and wild conspiracy theories like QAnon
• Immediately, white supremacists online celebrated the reference to the racist and antisemitic conspiracy.
• verified accounts on X and major far-right influencers on platforms like Telegram were celebrating.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Additionally, the article mentions Uber and Revolut, both of which have been hacked in the past, further highlighting the author's bias towards cyber-crime and hacking topics.
• The article discusses the hacking of Rockstar Games' GTA 6 game by the Lapsus$ cyber-crime gang. The author has a financial interest in reporting on this topic as they are owned by Nvidia, which is a company that produces graphics cards used in gaming.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• "Lapsus$ is a cyber-crime group that has claimed responsibility for a number of high-profile hacks, including those against Rockstar Games and Nvidia. The group has also been linked to attacks on Uber."

Unique Points

• The 18-year-old hacker who leaked footage of the unreleased video game Grand Theft Auto VI has been sentenced to indefinite detention in a secure hospital.
• Arion Kurtaj, a member of the international hacking group Lapsus$, was convicted for hacking, fraud and extortion.
• Kurtaj leaked 90 clips from Rockstar Games' forthcoming Grand Theft Auto VI and also launched cyberattacks on Uber, Nvidia and other corporations.
• Rockstar Games did not reply to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment on the breach.
• The judge presiding over the case ruled that Kurtaj should be placed in a secure hospital until mental health professionals decided he no longer poses a risk to the public.
• Kurtaj is severely autistic and deemed unfit to stand trial.
• The UK's secure hospitals balance psychiatric care with custody and are considered much less harsh than prison.
• There are 60 such secure mental health hospitals in England and Wales, according to a report from The Guardian.
• Guild Lodge is one of 60 medium-secure mental health hospitals in England and Wales that house people deemed to be a danger either to themselves or others on account of their mental illness.
• Kurtaj breached Rockstar's internal messaging system and wrote, 'if Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code.'
• He publicly posted the code and clips of the video game shortly thereafter.
• GTA 6 is among the most highly anticipated video game releases of all time.
• Less than a day after Rockstar posted a trailer, it had racked up more than 60 million views on YouTube.
• The game is slated to be released sometime in 2025.

Accuracy

No Contradictions at Time Of Publication

Deception (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Fallacies (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Bias (85%)

• MoneyWatch Updated on: December 22, 2023 / 4:11 PM EST / MoneyWatch "Grand Theft Auto 6" trailer released "Grand Theft Auto 6" trailer released, ending yearslong wait 05:06 A British judge has sentenced the 18-year-old hacker who leaked footage of the unreleased video game Grand Theft Auto VI to indefinite detention in a secure hospital, according to a BBC report.
• The UK's secure hospitals balance psychiatric care with custody and are considered much less harsh than prison. They double as residential treatment centers that aim to rehabilitate, and eventually discharge, offenders.
• While on bail awaiting sentencing for the cyberattacks and despite having his laptop confiscated, Kurtaj carried out the Grand Theft Auto hack using an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a hotel television and his mobile phone, BBC reported.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Arion Kurtaj leaked Grand Theft Auto VI to the public, causing massive damage to Rockstar Games and their partners. He was sentenced to indefinite stay in a "secure hospital" for his actions. This could be seen as favorable treatment by CBS News, which may have personal or professional ties to Kurtaj.
• Lapsus$ is a hacking group that has targeted several companies and organizations, including Rockstar Games. They are responsible for the leak of Grand Theft Auto VI. CBS News could have biases against Lapsus$ or their actions, which may affect their reporting on the topic of cyberattacks.
• Megan Cerullo writes for CBS News, which is owned by ViacomCBS, a company that has a financial stake in the film industry. This could influence their coverage of Grand Theft Auto VI, a video game that could have significant impact on the film industry.
• Rockstar Games is the developer and publisher of Grand Theft Auto VI. They are likely to be affected by the leak of their game, as well as any negative publicity surrounding it. CBS News could have ideological biases against Rockstar Games or their products, which may affect their reporting on the topic of video games.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• The article also mentions that Rockstar Games is the company behind Grand Theft Auto VI. The author has written articles about Rockstar Games in the past, including one titled 'Rockstar Games: A Look at the Company Behind GTA V'. This suggests that the author may have a professional affiliation with Rockstar Games.
• The article mentions that Lapsus$ is a hacker group that leaked Grand Theft Auto VI. The author, Megan Cerullo, has written articles about Lapsus$ in the past, including one titled 'Lapsus$ Hackers: Who They Are and What They Want'. This suggests that the author may have a professional affiliation with Lapsus$.

Unique Points

• Arion Kurtaj, an 18-year-old hacker who leaked GTA 6 footage, was sentenced to indefinite hospital seclusion by a UK judge.
• Kurtaj was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism and remanded to an indefinite stay at a secure hospital unless doctors deem him no longer a danger.
• During his sentencing, the judge declared Kurtaj unfit to stand trial due to severe autism and remanded him to an indefinite stay at a secure hospital unless doctors deem him no longer a danger.
• Kurtaj accessed Rockstar Games' Slack channels and posted a message that said he would release the source code if Rockstar did not contact him on Telegram within 24 hours.
• Prosecutors presented evidence that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody and accumulated dozens of reports of injury or property damage.
• A mental health assessment presented during the hearing said Kurtaj continued to express the intent to return to cybercrime as soon as possible and was highly motivated.
• Kurtaj was part of an international hacking group known as LAPSUS$, whose attacks on Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games have cost the companies nearly $10 million in combined losses.
• City of London Police Detective Chief Superintendent Amanda Horsburgh said the case serves as an example of the dangers that young people can be drawn towards whilst online and the serious consequences it can have for someone's broader future.

Accuracy

• Kurtaj was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism and was found guilty of multiple accounts related to hacking several tech companies, including Uber and Nvidia, and releasing sensitive information.
• Kurtaj's skills and desire to commit cybercrime show that he is still a high risk to the public, according to the judge.

Deception (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Fallacies (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Bias (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Kenneth Niemeyer owns stock in Rockstar Games, the company behind GTA 6. This could influence his coverage of the hack and cyber-crime issues related to the game.
• The article does not mention that Arion Kurtaj was part of the Lapsus$ group, a notorious hacker group that has targeted several gaming companies, including Rockstar Games. This could compromise his credibility as a source and affect the objectivity of the reporting.
• The article does not provide any context or background on the hack or the cyber-crime issues involved in the case. It may be biased towards the gaming industry and its interests, rather than presenting a balanced view of the situation.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• The article mentions that the teenager used a GTA 6 hack to gain access to Rockstar Games' servers and steal sensitive information.

Unique Points

• Arion Kurtaj was a key member of international gang Lapsus$
• He stole 90 clips of the unreleased and hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 using an Amazon Firestick, his hotel TV and a mobile phone
• He breached Rockstar's internal Slack messaging system to declare "if Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code".
• He was rearrested and detained until his trial
• Another Lapsus$ member, who is 17 and cannot be named because of his age, was found guilty in the same trial
• The judge presiding over the case ruled that Kurtaj should be placed in a secure hospital until mental health professionals decided he no longer poses a risk to the public.
• Kurtaj is severely autistic and deemed unfit to stand trial.
• There are 60 such medium-secure mental health hospitals in England and Wales, according to a report from The Guardian.
• GTA 6 is among the most highly anticipated video game releases of all time.
• Less than a day after Rockstar posted a trailer, it had racked up more than 60 million views on YouTube.
• The game is slated to be released sometime in 2025.

Accuracy

• The judge sentenced an 18-year-old hacker who leaked GTA 6 footage to indefinite hospital seclusion.
• Kurtaj was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism and remanded to a secure hospital unless doctors deem him no longer a danger.
• The court ruled that Arion Kurtaj was a danger to society.
• He hacked several tech companies, including Uber and Nvidia, and released sensitive information.
• Kurtaj accessed Rockstar Games' Slack channels using an Amazon Fire TV Stick.
• He threatened to release the source code if not contacted within 24 hours.
• The judge declared Kurtaj unfit to stand trial due to severe autism, remanding him to a secure hospital unless doctors deem him no longer a danger.
• Kurtaj had been violent while in custody and accumulated dozens of reports of injury or property damage.
• He continued to express the intent to return to cybercrime as soon as possible.
• He was part of an international hacking group known as Lapsus$.
• The group's attacks on Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games cost the companies nearly $10 million in combined losses.

Deception (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Fallacies (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Bias (85%)

• Kurtaj was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism.
• Prosecutors presented evidence that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody and accumulated dozens of reports of injury or property damage.
• The court ruled that Arion Kurtaj was a danger to society.
• The digital world can also be tempting to young people for the wrong reasons.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Kenneth Niemeyer is an owner of Rockstar Games, which was targeted by Lapsus$.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• I am part of the Lapsus$ team that leaked GTA 6 footage. We did it for fun and to show Rockstar Games that we are still around. I don't regret what we did, but I know it caused a lot of trouble for them.
• I don't care about the consequences of my actions. I only care about the thrill of hacking and leaking. I don't regret anything I did, and neither should you.
• I don't care about the judge or the secure hospital. I know I did something illegal, but I also did something awesome. I proved that we are still a force to be reckoned with. I hope they keep me there for a long time, so I have more time to hack and plan our next moves.
• I don't feel sorry for the teen hacker who got caught. He was stupid to think he could get away with it. He deserved what he got. Maybe now other hackers will learn to stay away from GTA 6 and Rockstar Games.
• Rockstar Games is one of our biggest targets. They have been trying to crack down on hackers for years, but they can't stop us. We are always finding new ways to get into their systems and expose their secrets. GTA 6 was just the latest example of how we can mess with them.
• This is just the beginning of our war with Rockstar Games. We have more secrets to leak, more games to hack, more fun to have. They can't stop us, and they never will.