Former Amazon Worker Charged in Massive Capital One Data Breach
A former Amazon employee faces federal charges after allegedly stealing the personal data of over 100 million Capital One customers. The accused hacker reportedly boasts about the breach online under an alias while exhibiting erratic behavior.
Federal authorities arrest 33-year-old former Amazon employee Paige Thompson for allegedly hacking Capital One and stealing the personal data of over 100 million customers. The FBI charges Thompson after searching her Seattle home and uncovering files connected to both the financial institution and her former employer. Court documents reveal that Thompson uses the online alias "erratic" to discuss the cyberattack.
Thompson appears to actively seek attention for the massive cyberattack by boasting about the stolen information on various social media platforms. In direct messages, she compares herself to wearing a bomb vest while dropping Capital One's data, suggesting she knows authorities will eventually catch her. Following her arrest, Thompson breaks down in court, and a judge orders her to remain in jail pending a bail hearing.
Online profiles and court records paint a picture of a troubled individual who struggles to maintain steady employment, having held eight different jobs over a twelve-year span. Thompson also recently suffers significant emotional distress over the death of her pet cat. Investigators continue to examine whether she successfully obtains sensitive information from other organizations, including government entities and educational institutions.