Julius Kivimaki, a notorious hacker from Finland, has been sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison by the country's Western Eushima District Court. Last Monday's ruling came after Julius was found guilty of blackmailing the personal information of 33,000 therapy patients, marking the culmination of an 11-year cybercrime spree that began when he was just 13 years old.

As the alleged leader of Europe's teenage hacking gang, Julius gained notoriety for his sophisticated cyberattacks. The BBC reported that he targeted Finland's private psychotherapy service Vastamo in November 2018, stealing sensitive session notes from thousands of patients.

In 2020, Julius demanded a ransom of 400,000 euros from the service, later increasing his demand to over 450,000 euros, according to Finnish press reports. When the psychotherapy center refused to pay, Julius resorted to blackmail, emailing thousands of victims and demanding 200 euros from each.

Tragically, at least one victim reportedly took their own life in response to Julius's extortion tactics, as detailed by the BBC. Despite denying all allegations against him, the court found Julius guilty based on evidence presented during his trial, which commenced in October last year after his extradition from France.

Julius's case sheds light on the growing threat of cybercrime and the devastating impact it can have on individuals and institutions alike. As authorities continue to crack down on cybercriminals, this case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and swift justice for victims of online exploitation.