Hacker behind GTA VI leak sentenced to indefinite confinement in hospital

The confinement stems from a mental health assessment that found him unfit to stand trial due to an acute autism diagnosis
An undated image illustrating characters of GTA. — Rockstar games
An undated image illustrating characters of GTA. — Rockstar games

The individual responsible for leaking in-development videos of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6, Arion Kurtaj, from the cybercrime group Lapsus, has been confined to a secure hospital indefinitely.

The confinement stems from a mental health assessment that found him unfit to stand trial due to an acute autism diagnosis. The jury's decision, based on this assessment, led to a life sentence in a hospital until he was deemed no longer a threat.

Kurtaj's cybercrime journey

Arrested in September 2022 on suspicion of hacking Rockstar Games, Kurtaj faced trial for crimes committed by Lapsus$ against Nvidia and Uber. While on bail, he continued hacking and orchestrated the infamous GTA 6 leak.

The act carried out in a hotel room with minimal tools, involved threats to release the game's source code unless negotiations took place over the Telegram messaging app.

The GTA VI leak

The leaked videos of GTA 6, released by Kurtaj, became one of the largest leaks in gaming history.

Rockstar, despite the immense success of the official trailer, argued significant damage to development efforts and team morale, estimating a $5 million cost for recovery. Legal battles ensued, with Kurtaj's defence downplaying the impact on the game's success.

Wider threat to game industry

Beyond the GTA 6 incident, the gaming industry faced another cyber threat as Insomniac Games fell victim to a ransomware attack. The responsible group leaked 1.67TB of confidential data, including a fully functioning build of the upcoming Wolverine game.

This event underscores the broader challenges faced by game developers, prompting a united response from the industry against cyberattacks that can jeopardise sensitive information and impact people's lives.