UK cops arrest 20-year-old on suspicion of blackmail and hacking

Meanwhile, wannabe iTunes gift card moguls reportedly fire up their email

UK cops have arrested a man they suspect of extortion and Computer Misuse Act offences – and an email from the "Turkish Crime Family" claims it was linked to a cop probe of its claimed Apple iCloud megahack.

Motherboard reports that someone using the email account of the self-styled Turkish Crime Family had contacted it alleging the unnamed man had been nabbed in relation to the group's supposed hack of million of Apple iCloud accounts and devices and subsequent extortion threats. The emailer included footage of a supposed arrest, it reported.

The NCA confirmed an arrest but did not confirm any connection with that case. In an email to El Reg, a representative of the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the arrest of a 20-year-old man at a North London address on Tuesday without providing any information on his alleged offence. "The NCA doesn't routinely confirm or deny specific investigations," we were told.

The man has been bailed pending further enquiries.

The group boasted of masterminding the iTunes gift card caper without providing much by way of proof. The gang claims they will leak the lot on 7 April if its cash/gift cards demands are not met.

Motherboard reported that someone using an email address previously associated with the Turkish Crime Family had alerted it about the arrest by supplying what appeared to be an arrest warrant. The group used its established Twitter account to allege late on Wednesday that the arrest was of a peripheral figure or somebody who wasn't one of the main members of the group. It has previously said the group was seven-strong. ®