From Tweets to Time: The Rise and Fall of PlugwalkJoe, Twitter’s Most Notorious Hacker

Joseph James O’Connor, better known in the chaotic corners of the internet as “PlugwalkJoe,” wasn’t just your average hacker with a keyboard and a Wi-Fi connection. Oh no. He made headlines, stirred up online drama, and played a real-life game of Grand Theft Auto in cyberspace. His antics spanned continents, snatched the attention of tech giants, and ultimately led him to a prison sentence in the U.S. But let’s rewind and unpack how a teenager with an appetite for digital chaos spiraled into one of the most notorious cybercriminals of our time.

TL;DR:

• “PlugwalkJoe” (Joseph O’Connor) was a British hacker who started with influencer hacks for clout and cash.
• He escalated to major crypto theft via SIM swapping and hacked high-profile accounts like Jack Dorsey’s.
• His actions turned dangerous with blackmail attempts (Bella Thorne) and “swatting” a teenage girl who rejected him.
• He was a key player in the massive 2020 Twitter hack, compromising celebrity and political accounts for a Bitcoin scam.
• Despite trying to feign innocence, his confession to the FBI led to his arrest in Spain, extradition, and a five-year U.S. prison sentence.

It All Started With a Click (and Logan Paul)

Rewind to 2018. PlugwalkJoe was a 19-year-old British hacker craving two things: cash and clout. Apparently, hacking influencers was his version of a get-rich-quick scheme. His first major hit? Logan Paul. Yep, the YouTube bro himself. Joe didn’t just settle for cracking into his YouTube—he dove into Logan’s Twitter, tweeting out that followers could find a sex tape by following his own account. Subtle? Not exactly. Effective in grabbing attention? Definitely.

From Clout to Crypto: A Dangerous Upgrade

By 2019, PlugwalkJoe leveled up. He and his hacker crew took on a cryptocurrency firm in Manhattan using a SIM swapping attack—essentially convincing mobile carriers to hand over control of someone else’s phone number. This allowed them to intercept two-factor authentication texts and waltz right into secure accounts. The haul? A juicy $794,000 in stolen crypto.

You’d think that would be enough to disappear into some cozy little villa in Europe. But no. This isn’t the end—it’s barely the intermission.

Hackers on Tour: Spain Edition

After padding his digital wallet, Joe relocated from England to sunny Spain. There, he kept the hacks rolling. Influencers like King Bach, James Charles, and Chloë Grace Moretz found themselves unwilling hosts of bizarre and troll-worthy tweets. Most posts were random shoutouts—some bordering on absurd, others laced with cringe. But at this point, it was all still mostly mischief.

Until, of course, he went for a far bigger fish.

Twitter Royalty: Jack Dorsey Gets Hit

Enter Jack Dorsey—Twitter’s co-founder and then-CEO. Hacking Dorsey wasn’t just ballsy—it was practically an act of digital blasphemy. But Joe pulled it off, using the same SIM swapping technique. Dorsey’s account became a megaphone for racial slurs and more shoutouts to PlugwalkJoe and his hacker buddies. It was a disaster for Twitter’s PR team, but for Joe? Just another Tuesday.

Bella Thorne, Blackmail, and Backfire

Somewhere along the road to infamy, PlugwalkJoe crossed a line so hard it left skid marks. Actress Bella Thorne fell victim to his hacks, and Joe snagged her private Snapchat content—including nude photos. Rather than keep them as creepy trophies (which is already awful), he tried to blackmail her into publicly thanking and tagging him.

But Bella Thorne wasn’t having it. In a power move, she released the photos herself, essentially robbing Joe of his leverage. That’s one way to deal with a hacker: turn the tables and burn them.

Dixie D’Amelio and Addison Rae Join the Victim List

In 2020, with Joe now 21 and still operating from Spain, his crew turned their attention to TikTok stars. Dixie D’Amelio’s account was hijacked, and strange videos popped up. One of Joe’s hacker pals even went live from her profile, promoting random Instagram accounts. Not long after, Addison Rae’s profile met the same fate.

Again, the goal seemed less about theft and more about digital graffiti. But Joe’s playful facade was cracking.

Enter the Discord Disaster: A Disturbing Turn

Behind the trolling and chaos, a darker side of Joe surfaced. He met a 16-year-old girl—let’s just call her “Sixteen”—in a Discord hacker forum. Things went from flirtation to full-blown creep mode fast. Despite her disinterest, Joe sent her explicit messages and unsolicited photos. Gross doesn’t even begin to cover it.

When Sixteen rejected him and exposed him by sharing one of those images in the server, Joe went nuclear. He attempted to “swat” her by sending fake emergency calls to her local authorities. Bomb threats, school shooting warnings, fake terror reports—he did all this in a single day, turning his creepy obsession into something deeply dangerous.

The Epic Hack Heard Around the World

Then came the summer of 2020. Joe, along with other hackers, pulled off the biggest Twitter hack in history. Over 130 high-profile accounts—including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Apple, Elon Musk, Kanye West, and more—were hijacked.

Each account tweeted out a Bitcoin scam promising to double any amount sent to a specific wallet. Some people fell for it (because of course they did), and the hackers walked away with around $118,000 in crypto. Not exactly a billion-dollar heist, but enough to draw global attention.

The hack caused Twitter to temporarily shut down verified accounts, and suddenly cybersecurity wasn’t just a buzzword—it was international news.

Damage Control? Too Late

Realizing the mess he’d made, PlugwalkJoe tried damage control. From his new Spanish residence, he dialed up the feds and pulled a “It wasn’t me!” routine, naming other hackers and admitting to prior hacks. Bold move.

But instead of clearing his name, Joe dug his own digital grave. Now the feds had a voice confession tying him to the crimes. Investigations ramped up. Evidence piled on. The Spanish national police raided his apartment, arrested him, and kept him locked up for two years before extraditing him to the U.S.

The Legal Showdown and Its Consequences

By the time he faced U.S. prosecutors, PlugwalkJoe’s portfolio of digital misdeeds looked more like a rap sheet from a cyberpunk thriller. He was sentenced to five years in prison, and honestly, he’s lucky it wasn’t longer given the swatting and extortion charges.

The Bigger Picture: Digital Fame Has a Price

Let’s face it—PlugwalkJoe wasn’t just chasing money. He craved the rush of digital power and internet fame. But clout is a terrible currency. It evaporates fast and often leaves destruction in its wake.

He could’ve walked away rich after the crypto heist. Instead, he spiraled further into cyber crime, unable to resist the spotlight. And in a tragic twist of irony, the fame he so desperately wanted became the very thing that destroyed him.

My Two Cents: PlugwalkJoe Was a Warning Shot

Here’s the real talk: PlugwalkJoe isn’t just some villain in a hoodie. He’s a cautionary tale about what happens when digital talent meets zero accountability. There’s a world of gifted coders out there who, given better mentors and outlets, might be building the next generation of secure tech. But instead, many fall down the rabbit hole of Discord chats, black hats, and illegal glory.

His story also exposes how easily systems—even at giant tech firms—can be manipulated with social engineering. It’s not always about high-end code. Sometimes it’s just smooth-talking your way past support agents.

Also? The line between trolling and terrorism isn’t as thick as you think. One moment you’re cracking jokes on an influencer’s Twitter; the next you’re filing false bomb threats to silence a teenage girl who bruised your ego.

Final Thoughts: Fame is Fleeting, Felonies are Forever

PlugwalkJoe thought he was invincible. With a few hacks, he became infamous. But in the end, that keyboard became his downfall. For all the giggles and clout, what did he really earn? Five years behind bars, a criminal record, and a digital footprint that screams, “Don’t hire me.”

In today’s hyperconnected world, playing cyber god might win you a few moments of glory. But when the FBI gets involved, you better believe those moments come with an expiration date.

So next time you think that online fame is just a few hacks away, remember PlugwalkJoe. And maybe, just maybe, consider using your genius for something that doesn’t end in orange jumpsuits and federal indictments.