Security News > 2021 > March > US Charges Swiss ‘Hacktivist’ for Data Theft and Leaks
The Justice Department has charged a Swiss hacker with computer intrusion and identity theft, just over a week after the hacker took credit for helping to break into the online systems of a U.S. security-camera startup.
Swiss authorities said they had raided Kottmann's home in Lucerne late last week at the request of U.S. authorities.
It's not clear if U.S. prosecutors intend to extradite Kottmann, who remains in Lucerne and was notified of the pending charges.
Prosecutors say the FBI recently seized a website domain that Kottmann used to publish hacked data online.
Kottmann has previously attracted attention for leaking hacked material to expose security flaws, including from U.S. chipmaker Intel last year.
The indictment attempts to tie Kottmann's efforts at self-promotion, including designing and selling clothing related to hacking and "Anti-intellectual-property ideology," into part of a broader conspiracy to commit computer fraud.