Teen hacker behind massive GTA VI leak sentenced to indefinite hospital stay
A prominent member of the international hacking group Lapsus$, Arion Kurtaj from Oxford, England, has been sentenced after being implicated in a major breach involving Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). Lapsus$ has a history of leaks targeting notable companies such as Uber and Nvidia.
In the case of Rockstar Games, the developer behind GTA, Lapsus$ shared more than 90 videos and screenshots from GTA 6’s test build last year. When the leak occurred, Rockstar Games expressed disappointment, stating, “We are extremely disappointed to have any details of our next game shared with you all in this way. Our work on the next Grand Theft Auto game will continue as planned, and we remain as committed as ever to delivering an experience to you, our players, that truly exceeds your expectations.”
Arion Kurtaj, who has autism, was considered psychiatrically unfit to stand trial. As a result, he has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital stay. The judge during the trial emphasized that the 18-year-old’s hacking skills posed a high risk to the public. The court also heard reports of violent behavior by Kurtaj while in custody.
Due to Kurtaj’s mental health assessment, the focus of the trial was on determining whether he committed the alleged acts rather than assessing criminal intent. The teenager is now mandated to stay in a secure hospital for the duration of his life or until medical professionals no longer consider him a threat.
In addition to the GTA 6 leak, Kurtaj and an unnamed 17-year-old are facing accusations of hacking and blackmailing BT Group and EE in 2021. Despite the recent debut of GTA 6’s highly anticipated trailer by Rockstar, a release date for the game has yet to be disclosed.
