14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, a Los Angeles court sentenced Andrew Helton, 29, of Portland, Oregon, to six months in jail and a fine of $3,000 for hacking into the email accounts of 363 victims.
Helton was arrested last year following an FBI investigation that revealed he used a simple phishing scheme to obtain the 448 usernames and passwords for 363 email accounts, from March 2011 to May 2013.
The prosecution says that Helton accessed these accounts and searched for sensitive information. They claim the hacker stole 161 sexually explicit images and videos from 13 accounts.
Helton used a simple phishing scheme
Helton sent phishing emails perpetrating to be Apple and Google to acquaintances, strangers, and even Hollywood celebrities.
The emails urged victims to verify their accounts by visiting a link. This URL went to Helton's server where he used a phishing page disguised to look like the real Apple and Gmail login pages. All login credentials entered on this page were then logged on Helton's servers in plaintext.
The hacker faced up to five years in prison for his crimes. He received only six months because he did not leak the pictures, keeping them only to himself.
During his defense, Helton claimed to suffer from mental issues that led him down this path. He pleaded guilty this February.
Helton is not behind the Fappening leak
Helton's hacks happened before the infamous Fappening (Celebgate) scandal took place. Two men were arrested and charged for their role in this latter scandal.
Authorities first arrested and charged Ryan Collins, 36, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with hacking into 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts.
They arrested a second hacker at the start of the month, Edward Majerczyk, 28, of Chicago, and Orland Park, Illinois, for hacking over 300 iCloud and Gmail accounts, of which 30 belonged to Hollywood and other celebrities.
Just like Helton, the two used phishing schemes to collect iCloud and Gmail credentials for high-profile celebrities, accessed their accounts and stole photos. None of the two Fappening hackers arrested until now has admitted to leaking the photos online, but only stealing them.