Published on: September 19, 2025, 07:04h.
Updated on: September 19, 2025, 07:04h.
A minor implicated in the 2023 cyberattacks that affected the two largest casino operators in Las Vegas has turned himself in to law enforcement, as confirmed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
The unnamed suspect, due to their status as a juvenile, is currently detained at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.
He faces a total of six felony allegations, including:
- Three counts of unauthorized acquisition and usage of personal identification to harm or impersonate another individual
- One count of extortion
- One count of conspiracy related to extortion
- One count of illegal activities concerning computer systems
Officials indicate that the Clark County District Attorney’s Office is pursuing a transfer of the case to the criminal court system, which would allow the charges to be addressed as adult offenses.
This arrest is part of a larger investigation spearheaded by the FBI’s Las Vegas Cyber Task Force, which includes cyber investigators from LVMPD. In November 2024, federal authorities indicted four individuals, ages 20 to 23, in connection with comparable cyber incidents, though those charges were not directly associated with the MGM and Caesars occurrences.
The recent announcement from LVMPD did not specifically name MGM Resorts International or Caesars Entertainment but referred to “multiple casino properties in Las Vegas” targeted during the months of August to October 2023.
Cybersecurity experts have linked these attacks to a loosely connected hacker collective called Scattered Spider, which also operates under various aliases such as Octo Tempest, UNC3944, and 0ktapus3.
Reports indicate MGM declined to meet ransom demands, leading to about $100 million in losses and approximately 10 days of operational downtime, affecting reservations, slot machines, room access, and online services. Conversely, Caesars reportedly paid $15 million of a $30 million ransom request, resulting in significantly less operational disruption per The Wall Street Journal.