A former Assumption University student has pleaded guilty to a series of cybercrimes that exposed the personal information of millions of students and teachers across the country. Matthew Lane, who was 19 at the time of the cyber attacks, admitted to hacking two companies, stealing sensitive data, and attempting to extort more than $3 million. According to court documents, Lane used stolen login credentials and foreign servers to access confidential records, including Social Security numbers, medical information, and home addresses. Prosecutors say he also worked with at least one unnamed co-conspirator and used servers in Ukraine to store the stolen data.
Lane’s actions caused widespread concern across the nation, especially after he threatened to leak the information of more than 60 million students and 10 million teachers unless he was paid in Bitcoin. He had already succeeded in extorting $200,000 from a telecommunications company before being caught. In interviews, Lane described his hacking as an addiction that began when he was 14 and escalated into serious criminal behavior. He now says he accepts responsibility and believes prison is the right consequence for what he did, and admits that “all of it” was true.
Judge Margaret R. Guzman, along with federal prosecutors, has stated that Lane faces a mandatory minimum of two years and could receive up to 17 years in prison. He has also been ordered to pay millions in restitution and forfeit $160,000 in criminal proceeds.
His sentencing is scheduled for later this year, and investigators say the case remains open as they continue to look into the involvement of other individuals. Tune in for more crime related articles!
Sources:
- https://www.wcvb.com/article/i-wouldve-never-stopped-mass-college-student-thanks-fbi-for-arresting-him/71002309
- https://abc11.com/post/minor-mayhem-gen-hackers-behind-major-data-breaches/18886029/
- https://abcnews.com/US/addicted-hacking-young-hacker-historic-breach-speaks-1st/story?id=131855776
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/assumption-teen-facing-years-prison-184820649.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAExmPrJ1hZq7FBXMsc_PvAa_7B7bDQfw0vyIp5XTCbwon9crkpdq_tBez_D9p90LEHzuhFXP8RHN2bjPsVp32XP5IenCxj0AiozvT3xQcrhZ1k-UWzj6ZuvZomNH2qpACtYolXSYDmPaGGhhQajKcjgeVeH0oVeJVellZ9CkldoZ
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/worcester-college-student-plead-guilty-cyber-extortions
- https://www.wwlp.com/news/crime/assumption-university-student-to-plead-guilty-to-cyber-extortion/
- https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/assumption-university-student-pleads-guilty-to-powerschool-hack
