British man, 19, charged in US over Twitter hack

A British teenager has been charged over hacking Twitter and stealing thousands of dollars worth of Bitcoin by taking over the accounts of celebrities and business leaders.

The US Department of Justice charged Mason John Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, West Sussex, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and the intentional access of a protected computer. Two Americans were also charged.

Last month, Mr Sheppard allegedly arranged the sale of desirable Twitter accounts, making him thousands of dollars. The charges carry a maximum of 45 years in prison.