Kiwi hacker escapes criminal conviction

16 July 2008

A teenager from New Zealand has avoided a conviction despite admitting hacking into computers across the globe.

Following a high court hearing in Hamilton on the country's north island, Owen Thor Walker, 18, was ordered to pay £5,500 in costs and damages for his actions.

It is now believed that the hacker, known online as AKILL, will use his computer skills positively by working with police.

An investigation by Kiwi and Dutch officials, plus the FBI and the US secret service, culminated in the arrest of Walker last November.

He was subsequently accused of leading a team of computer hackers which stole around £12 million pounds in a global hacking scam, although it later emerged that he had simply worked as a software writer and had not profited from the activities.

Police said the hacking ring used a botnet to steal credit card information from banking consumers.

Why not register on our website and get news/job alerts direct to your e-mail account? Click here.
ADNFCR-1355-ID-18686504-ADNFCR