Two members of the hacker group “Lizard Squad” have been arrested following a crippling attack on the PlayStation and Xbox online gaming networks over the holiday period.
Vinnie Omari was arrested in London by police investigating PayPal thefts and cyber-fraud offences over the past two years. According to The Hacker News, law enforcement officials reportedly seized phones, laptops and an Xbox from his home.
Thames Valley police said in a statement that a 22-year-old man from Twickenham was arrested “on suspicion of fraud by false representation and Computer Misuse Act offences”. Omari denied any part in the Christmas Day attack on Sony and Microsoft, and said he is simply a spokesman for Lizard Squad.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Julius “Ryan” Kivimaki, a 17-year-old teenager, for his connection to the attacks. He was arrested by Finnish authorities and recently appeared on Sky News, openly claiming that he was a member of Lizard Squad.
Omari, who is a student of network security and ethical hacking, has been released on bail.
Both gaming networks were taken offline for several days following the attack, with the PlayStation Network attack believed to have lasted for four days.
