Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, the former administrator of BreachForums, has been handed a 15-year prison sentence. The 21-year-old New York state resident, also known by the online alias Pompompurin, had run the infamous hacker marketplace for nearly a year before its closure by the second-in-command following Fitzpatrick’s arrest. The charges brought by the FBI included conspiracy to commit access device fraud, solicitation for the purpose of offering access devices, and possession of child pornography. Recent court documents indicate that Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to these charges, and the United States is recommending a 188-month imprisonment term, citing the severity of the crimes, the harm caused, the risk of recidivism, and the need to deter future cybercrime.
Earlier this month, Fitzpatrick violated his parole by using a computer without court-prescribed monitoring software, leading to his re-arrest. The BreachForums, known to be a revival of the seized marketplace RaidForums, served as a hub for cybercriminals to exchange data stolen from various organizations. Notably, it housed information pilfered from DC Health Link, a medical insurance company, containing sensitive details about US House and Senate members. Following its takedown, several replicas emerged until Fitzpatrick’s second-in-command, Blaphomet, relaunched the platform in June 2023.
