CFO Jimmy Patronis: Twitter Needs to Step Up Their Game
7/31/2020
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis released the following statement on the arrest of a 17-year-old Tampa resident for allegedly scamming people across the country by perpetrating the “Bit-Con” hack of prominent Twitter accounts including Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and Elon Musk on July 15, 2020. The arrest comes on the heels of CFO Patronis’ request that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigate the Twitter hack as well as a request to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey that Twitter share information with FDLE.
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “News that the alleged mastermind behind the recent unprecedented Twitter hacks was arrested right in Florida’s backyard is alarming. The fact that a teenager could gain such access to Twitter is mind boggling and goes to prove that the tech-giant needs to step up its game. This is exactly why I called on FDLE to conduct an investigation and for Twitter to provide vital information to help protect our citizens. Twitter is an extremely powerful tool that governments, industries, members of the media and billions of other people rely on for communicating important information.
“We must work together to ensure all Floridians are protected from online fraud. Thank you to our federal and state law enforcement partners especially Commissioner Swearingen and the FDLE Team, as well as State Attorney Andrew Warren for their hard work in bringing this alleged scam artist to justice.”
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “News that the alleged mastermind behind the recent unprecedented Twitter hacks was arrested right in Florida’s backyard is alarming. The fact that a teenager could gain such access to Twitter is mind boggling and goes to prove that the tech-giant needs to step up its game. This is exactly why I called on FDLE to conduct an investigation and for Twitter to provide vital information to help protect our citizens. Twitter is an extremely powerful tool that governments, industries, members of the media and billions of other people rely on for communicating important information.
“We must work together to ensure all Floridians are protected from online fraud. Thank you to our federal and state law enforcement partners especially Commissioner Swearingen and the FDLE Team, as well as State Attorney Andrew Warren for their hard work in bringing this alleged scam artist to justice.”