Defense Pushes for Lighter Sentence in SEC X Account Hack & Bitcoin ETF Hoax Case ⚖️📉
Eric Council Jr., the hacker behind the fake Bitcoin ETF approval post on the SEC’s official X account, is back in court — and his lawyers want just 1 year behind bars instead of the 2 years prosecutors are pushing for.
> “A sentence of 12 months and 1 day serves justice,” Council’s legal team argued in the May 13 filing.
The backstory:
Council pleaded guilty in February after a SIM swap attack gave him access to the SEC’s X account. He and his group used the platform to falsely announce the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs — causing temporary chaos in the crypto markets.
Why it matters:
The fake post caused a brief market spike before being debunked
Council reportedly made $50,000 through similar frauds
He now faces sentencing on May 16
Prosecutors label it a "sophisticated fraud scheme"
The case is also attracting political attention — Donald Trump just appointed Judge Jeanine Pirro (yes, that Jeanine) as interim U.S. attorney for D.C. on May 8. This move could reshape how future crypto-related crimes are prosecuted.
Crypto Takeaway
The incident shows how social engineering attacks can impact the crypto space — and how security and regulation remain hot zones as Web3 matures.
Stay alert, stay secure.
