The 'untouchable hacker god' behind Finland's biggest ever crime

4 months ago

Tiina Parikka, a Finnish headteacher, received a blackmail email threatening to release her private therapy notes unless she paid a ransom in bitcoin.
The hacker had accessed Vastaamo, a Finnish psychotherapy company, stealing sensitive data from 33,000 patients, including therapy notes and social security numbers.
Victims faced severe emotional distress, with some committing suicide after their private therapy sessions were leaked online.
The hacker, identified as Julius Kivimäki, had a history of cybercrimes, including swatting and bomb threats, before targeting Vastaamo.
Kivimäki was arrested in Paris in 2023, convicted of 9,600 counts of aggravated invasion of privacy, and sentenced to six years in prison.
Vastaamo's CEO, Ville Tapio, was found guilty of criminal negligence for failing to secure patient data, though his conviction was later overturned.
The Finnish government offered compensation to victims, but many felt the damage was irreparable, with therapy notes still circulating online.
Kivimäki showed no remorse during his trial, dismissing the victims' suffering and claiming innocence despite overwhelming evidence.
The case highlights vulnerabilities in digital privacy, especially for sensitive health data, and raises questions about accountability in cybersecurity.

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