Hacker Sentenced to 30 Months for SIM Swapping Conspiracy Resulting in Theft of Nearly $1 Million in Cryptocurrency

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jordan Dave Persad, 20, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Persad was also ordered to pay $945,833 in restitution. Persad pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud. 

Between March 2021 and September 2022, Persad and his co-conspirators hacked into victims’ email accounts, hijacked their cell phone numbers, and gained unauthorized access to their online cryptocurrency accounts. As a result of this scheme, often referred to as “SIM swapping,” Persad and his co-conspirators stole close to $1 million worth of cryptocurrency from dozens of victims, including approximately $30,000 from a victim in Arizona. Defendant and his co-conspirators then divided these stolen funds amongst themselves, with Persad keeping around $475,000. Investigators were able to recover some of these funds when they executed search warrants at Persad’s Orlando home.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang and Bridget Minder of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-00680-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-163_Persad

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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