Autistic Grand Theft Auto (GTA) hacker receives life sentence

Arion Kurtaj, an autistic teenager who allegedly stole 90 clips of the unreleased Grand Theft Auto SIX (GTA 6) game as part of a hacking spree has recently been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order, The Guardian reported.

INDEFINITE HOSPITAL ORDER FOR GRAND THEFT AUTO (GTA) HACKER

According to the publication, the 18-year-old hacker, Arion Kurtaj was already on bail for hacking the software firm Nvidia and BT/EE. He is said to have been under police protection at a Travelodge hotel when he continued his hacking and breached Rockstar Games, the company behind Grand Theft Auto (GTA).

Earlier this month, Rockstar Games was forced to release their trailer for Grand Theft Auto Six (GTA 6) before it was scheduled to come out. The trailer went viral when it was released on Tuesday, 5 December. The trailer release was intended to mark Rockstar Games’ 25th anniversary.

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Kurtaj was a key member of the international gang Lapsus$, BBC reported. The gang’s attacks on tech giants including Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games have reportedly cost the firms nearly $10m (an estimated R183 million). According to the publication, the judge said Kurtaj’s impeccable hacking skills and desire to commit cybercrime meant he remained a high risk to the public. It was further reported that he would remain at a secure hospital for life unless doctors deemed him no longer a danger.

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IMPRESSIVE? HOW ROCKSTAR GAMES WAS HACKED

Doctors are said to have deemed the teenage hacker, Arion Kurtaj unfit to stand trial due to his acute autism. A mental health assessment was reportedly used as part of the sentencing hearing. Despite having his laptop confiscated, Kurtaj reportedly managed to breach Rockstar Games using an Amazon Firestick, his hotel TV, and a mobile phone.