Oshawa man faces U.S. cybercrime charges after FBI-led investigation
A 37-year-old man from Oshawa is facing serious cybercrime charges after U.S. authorities linked him to a 2021 data breach targeting the Texas Republican Party.
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges Wednesday against Aubrey Cottle, who was arrested in Canada following a joint investigation involving the FBI, Ontario Provincial Police, and Durham Regional Police.
According to court documents filed in the Western District of Texas, Cottle allegedly hacked into a third-party hosting provider to access and download a backup of the Texas GOP’s web server. The stolen data included personal identifying information, which police say was later leaked online.
Authorities claim Cottle boasted about the breach on social media. A forensic search of his devices reportedly uncovered the stolen data in his possession.
Charges and Consequences
Cottle is charged with:
- Unlawfully transferring, possessing, or using identification information in connection with illegal activity.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in U.S. federal prison.
The FBI’s Austin Cyber Task Force is leading the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan is handling prosecution duties.