Feds arrest man who allegedly participated in SEC X account hack, driving up Bitcoin price

Federal authorities announced the arrest of a man in Alabama on Thursday, accusing him of involvement in the hack of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account earlier this 12 months.

Eric Council Jr. was charged in reference to the January 9 hack of SEC , in response to the press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

According to the indictment against the Councilworked with other anonymous co-conspirators to perform a SIM swap on the phone account of a person who had access to SEC X’s account, identified only as “CL.” Authorities alleged that the Council received payments for SIM swaps just like the one which led to the SEC X account hack.

On January 9, the co-conspirator sent the Board instructions on methods to replace the SIM card in the phone of a person with access to X’s SEC account, in addition to that individual’s personal information. Council then went to an AT&T store with a fake CL ID card that he designed and printed himself and claimed to be an FBI agent who had broken his phone and needed a brand new SIM card.

Council bought a brand new iPhone to switch the SIM card, then used the phone to acquire a reset code for the @SECGov account on . At that time, Council returned the iPhone for money in Birmingham, Alabama, the indictment alleges.

In the indictment, prosecutors said Council conducted several Google searches, including “SECGOV hack,” “SIM swapping in Telegram,” “how can I be sure if the FBI is investigating” and “What are the signs you’re under investigation by law enforcement or the FBI, even if they have not contacted you” and “what are the signs that the FBI is after you.”

Council was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and device fraud.