maia arson crimew

{{Infobox person

| name = maia arson crimew

| image = Maia arson crimew (cropped and rotated).png

| alt = Selfie of maia arson crimew, a young, white person with long, dark hair with tips dyed purple, wearing glasses, a pink choker, a stamped shirt and a purple jacket.

| caption = crimew in December 2022

| other_names = {{hlist|Tillie Kottmann|Deletescape|Tillie crimew}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|08|07}}

| birth_place = Lucerne, Switzerland

| occupation = {{hlist|Software developer|computer hacker}}

| known_for = No Fly List leak, source code leaks, Verkada hack, Lawnchair Android launcher

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Maia arson crimew{{Efn|"Crimew" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|r|aɪ|ˌ|m|j|uː|audio=en-us-crimew.oga}}) is a portmanteau of the words crime and mew, as in the onomatopoeia of a cat's cry.{{Cite tweet |number=1616836602344480771 |user=_nyancrimew |title=for the record, crimew is a portmanteau of crime and mew (as in meow) and is pronounced like cri-mew |author=maia arson crimew |date=January 21, 2023 |access-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121205702/https://twitter.com/_nyancrimew/status/1616836602344480771 |archive-date=January 21, 2023}} Crimew stylizes her name in all lowercase.{{Cite tweet |number=1477713772865372161 |user=cybertillie |title=some info about my name ("maia arson crimew") and how to stylize it: my name is correctly spelled in all lowercase and i prefer it if people use it like that. i dont *mind* it being capitalized, but all lowercase is more correct :) |author=maia arson crimew |date=January 2, 2022 |access-date=January 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102185504/https://twitter.com/cybertillie/status/1477713772865372161 |archive-date=2022-01-02}} Crimew describes her pronouns as "it(/she)": She strongly prefers it/its, especially in informal contexts, but is "totally fine" with she/her in more formal contexts, such as in the Wikipedia article about her.{{Cite web |last=crimew |first=maia arson |date=19 January 2024 |title=idk if u would know why this is but whys ur wikipedia article use only she/her pronouns for u? they literally say at one point... |url=https://www.tumblr.com/nyancrimew/712792214925869056/idk-if-u-would-know-why-this-is-but-whys-ur |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120015259/https://www.tumblr.com/nyancrimew/712792214925869056/idk-if-u-would-know-why-this-is-but-whys-ur |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=Tumblr}} For clarity, accessibility, and consistency, this article uses she/her pronouns throughout.|name=name-case-pronouns|group=lower-alpha}} (formerly known as Tillie Kottmann; born August 7, 1999) is a Swiss developer and computer hacker. Crimew is known for leaking source code and other data from companies such as Intel and Nissan, and for discovering a 2019 copy of the United States government's No Fly List on an unsecured cloud server owned by CommuteAir. Crimew was also part of a group that hacked into Verkada in March 2021 and accessed more than 150,000 cameras. She is also the founding developer of the Lawnchair application launcher for Android.{{Cite web |last=Wilde |first=Damien |date=February 22, 2021 |title=Development on Lawnchair Launcher resumes after break |url=https://9to5google.com/2021/02/22/development-on-lawnchair-launcher-resumes-after-an-extended-break/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523181154/https://9to5google.com/2021/02/22/development-on-lawnchair-launcher-resumes-after-an-extended-break/ |archive-date=May 23, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2021 |website=9to5Google |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Corbin |date=February 21, 2021 |title=Lawnchair Launcher resumes development after year-long hiatus |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/02/21/lawnchair-launcher-resumes-development-after-year-long-hiatus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523181154/https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/02/21/lawnchair-launcher-resumes-development-after-year-long-hiatus/ |archive-date=May 23, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2021 |website=Android Police |language=en-US}}

In March 2021, crimew was indicted by a grand jury in the United States on criminal charges related to her alleged hacking activity between 2019 and 2021. The charges were unrelated to the hack of Verkada. Her home and her parents' home were raided by the Swiss police at the request of United States authorities, and her electronic devices were seized. People used the hashtag "#freetillie" to express support for her following the raid, and the Swiss magazine Republik compared her to Jeremy Hammond and Aaron Swartz.

Early life

Crimew was born on August 7, 1999{{Cite web |last=crimew |first=maia arson |date=March 20, 2021 |title=@deletescape@notbird.site |url=https://notbird.site/@deletescape/105924010757414543 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324104740/https://notbird.site/@deletescape/105924010757414543 |archive-date=March 24, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=notbird.site |language=en |quote=i hereby confirm that i was born on august 7th 1999 and that my pronouns are it/its fae/faer she/her they/them.}} in the Bruch district of Lucerne in the German-speaking region of Switzerland.{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Matt |date=March 19, 2021 |title=U.S. charges Swiss 'hacktivist' for data theft and leaks |url=https://apnews.com/article/business-washington-switzerland-hacking-identity-theft-b657992e12f42880283cfe2c96cfb3bc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319023845/https://apnews.com/article/business-washington-switzerland-hacking-identity-theft-b657992e12f42880283cfe2c96cfb3bc |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=Associated Press}}{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2021 |title=So begründet die Luzerner Hackerin ihre Angriffe auf US-Firmen |trans-title=This is how the Lucerne hacker justifies her attacks on US companies |url=https://www.zentralplus.ch/luzerner-hackerin-drohen-in-den-usa-20-jahre-gefaengnis-2065085/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525184444/https://www.zentralplus.ch/luzerner-hackerin-drohen-in-den-usa-20-jahre-gefaengnis-2065085/ |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |website=:de:zentralplus |language=de-CH}} As a teenager, she worked in information technology. She was the founding developer of the popular Android launcher "Lawnchair", which has been maintained by a different development team since February 2021. A member of the Young Socialists Switzerland, crimew was a candidate for Lucerne City Council in 2020.

Early leaks

In July 2020, crimew posted source code from dozens of companies to a GitLab repository.{{Cite web |last=Ilascu |first=Ionut |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Source code from dozens of companies leaked online |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/source-code-from-dozens-of-companies-leaked-online/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319115314/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/source-code-from-dozens-of-companies-leaked-online/ |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=Bleeping Computer |language=en-us}} She was credited by Bleeping Computer with originating the Nintendo Gigaleak, but she later told Tom's Guide that Nintendo data was not included in the July leak, and that she had never posted Nintendo code to GitLab because the company was "notorious for quick takedowns".{{Cite web |last=Fearn |first=Nicholas |date=July 28, 2020 |title=Disney, Microsoft, Nintendo and 50 more hit by massive source code leak [updated] |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/news/companies-source-code-leak |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728075748/https://www.tomsguide.com/news/companies-source-code-leak |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |website=Tom's Guide |language=en}} On August 6, 2020, crimew uploaded more than 20 gigabytes of Intel's proprietary data and source code to Mega.{{Cite web |last=Goodin |first=Dan |date=August 6, 2020 |title=More than 20GB of Intel source code and proprietary data dumped online |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/08/intel-is-investigating-the-leak-of-20gb-of-its-source-code-and-private-data/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318113819/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/08/intel-is-investigating-the-leak-of-20gb-of-its-source-code-and-private-data/ |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}} She obtained the data from another hacker who claimed to have breached Intel around May 2020,{{Cite web |last=Moon |first=M |date=August 7, 2020 |title=20GB of Intel internal documents were leaked online |url=https://www.engadget.com/intel-internal-documents-leak-063157088.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301164940/https://www.engadget.com/intel-internal-documents-leak-063157088.html |archive-date=March 1, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}} and described it as a first installment which would be followed by more leaks related to Intel.{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=August 6, 2020 |title=Intel investigating breach after 20GB of internal documents leak online |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/intel-investigating-breach-after-20gb-of-internal-documents-leak-online/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319153723/https://www.zdnet.com/article/intel-investigating-breach-after-20gb-of-internal-documents-leak-online/ |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=ZDNet |language=en}} In January 2021, crimew was involved in a source code leak from Nissan, stating that she acquired the leaked code after learning from an anonymous source about a Bitbucket server{{Cite web |last=Orzel |first=Eran |date=May 12, 2021 |title=Lessons in Securing Development Environments |url=https://securityboulevard.com/2021/05/lessons-in-securing-development-environments/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512070346/https://securityboulevard.com/2021/05/lessons-in-securing-development-environments/ |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |website=Security Boulevard |language=en-US}} that was set up with the default username and password.{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Nissan source code leaked online after Git repo misconfiguration |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nissan-source-code-leaked-online-after-git-repo-misconfiguration/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319115301/https://www.zdnet.com/article/nissan-source-code-leaked-online-after-git-repo-misconfiguration/ |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=ZDNet |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Starks |first=Tim |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Nissan investigated source code exposure, says it plugged leak |url=https://www.cyberscoop.com/nissan-source-code-leak-exposure-investigation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321153427/https://www.cyberscoop.com/nissan-source-code-leak-exposure-investigation/ |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=CyberScoop |language=en}}

Crimew said in March 2021 that most of her breaches did not require much technical skill.{{Cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |title=Swiss Verkada Camera Hacker Says Attacks Were "Easy, Fun Anarchism"—U.S. Files Charges Over Data Theft |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/03/19/swiss-verdaka-camera-hacker-says-attacks-were-easy-fun-anarchism-us-files-charges-over-data-theft/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320021542/https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/03/19/swiss-verdaka-camera-hacker-says-attacks-were-easy-fun-anarchism-us-files-charges-over-data-theft/ |archive-date=March 20, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=Forbes |language=en}} In addition to leaking data herself, she maintained a Telegram channel called "ExConfidential"{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2021 |title=Indictment No. CR21-048 RAJ |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/press-release/file/1377536/download |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428001758/https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/press-release/file/1377536/download |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2021 |website=Justice.gov}} where she shared details about leaks by others. In March 2021, Distributed Denial of Secrets created a torrent of data from the channel after crimew's home was raided and her devices were seized.{{Cite web |last=Horne |first=Lorax B. |date=March 15, 2021 |title=Release: Tillie Kottmann (20 GB) |url=https://ddosecrets.substack.com/p/release-tillie-kottmann-20-gb |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518100209/https://ddosecrets.substack.com/p/release-tillie-kottmann-20-gb |archive-date=May 18, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2021 |website=Distributed Email of Secrets}}

Verkada hack

On March 8, 2021, a group of hackers including crimew and calling themselves "APT{{Thin space|-}}69420 Arson Cats"{{Cite news |last=Bajak |first=Frank |last2=O'Brien |first2=Matt |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Security camera hack exposes hospitals, workplaces, schools |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/security-camera-hack-exposes-hospitals-workplaces-schools/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410071644/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/security-camera-hack-exposes-hospitals-workplaces-schools/ |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |work=Seattle Times}}{{Cite news |last=Harwell |first=Drew |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Massive camera hack exposes the growing reach and intimacy of American surveillance |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/10/verkada-hack-surveillance-risk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429051804/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/10/verkada-hack-surveillance-risk/ |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |access-date=April 24, 2021 |work=The Washington Post}} gained "super admin" rights in the network of Verkada, a cloud-based security camera company, using credentials they found on the public internet. The group had access to the network for 36 hours.{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Dan |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Hack of video security company Verkada exposes footage from 150,000 connected cameras |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/verkada-hack-tesla-nissan-equinox-cloudflare/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320230144/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/verkada-hack-tesla-nissan-equinox-cloudflare/ |archive-date=March 20, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}} They collected about 5 gigabytes of data, including live security camera footage and recordings from more than 150,000 cameras in places like a Tesla factory, a jail in Alabama, a Halifax Health hospital, and residential homes.{{Cite news |last=Turton |first=William |date=March 9, 2021 |title=Hackers Breach Thousands of Security Cameras, Exposing Tesla, Jails, Hospitals |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-09/hackers-expose-tesla-jails-in-breach-of-150-000-security-cams |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319000930/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-09/hackers-expose-tesla-jails-in-breach-of-150-000-security-cams |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |work=Bloomberg News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Goodin |first=Dan |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Hackers access security cameras inside Cloudflare, jails, and hospitals |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/03/hackers-access-security-cameras-inside-cloudflare-jails-and-hospitals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318113651/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/03/hackers-access-security-cameras-inside-cloudflare-jails-and-hospitals/ |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}} The group also accessed a list of Verkada customers and the company's private financial information,{{Cite web |last=Gartenberg |first=Chaim |date=March 9, 2021 |title=Security startup Verkada hack exposes 150,000 security cameras in Tesla factories, jails, and more |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/9/22322122/verkada-hack-150000-security-cameras-tesla-factory-cloudflare-jails-hospitals |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319115305/https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/9/22322122/verkada-hack-150000-security-cameras-tesla-factory-cloudflare-jails-hospitals |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en}} and gained access to the corporate networks of Cloudflare and Okta through their Verkada cameras.{{Cite web |last=Graham-Cumming |first=John |author-link=John Graham-Cumming |date=March 10, 2021 |title=About the March 8 & 9, 2021 Verkada camera hack |url=https://blog.cloudflare.com/about-the-march-8-9-2021-verkada-camera-hack/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310231522/https://blog.cloudflare.com/about-the-march-8-9-2021-verkada-camera-hack/ |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |access-date=March 22, 2021 |website=The Cloudflare Blog |publisher=Cloudflare |language=en}}

Crimew acted as the spokesperson for the group of hackers;{{Cite web |last=Michel |first=Beat |date=2021-03-19 |title=Schweizer Hackerin Tillie Kottmann (21) von US-Justiz angeklagt |trans-title=Swiss hacker Tillie Kottmann (21) charged by the US Justice Department |url=https://www.blick.ch/news/jetzt-wird-es-heikel-fuer-luzerner-computer-hackerin-tillie-kottmann-21-ich-sollte-vielleicht-etwas-paranoider-sein-id16410916.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028045115/https://www.blick.ch/news/jetzt-wird-es-heikel-fuer-luzerner-computer-hackerin-tillie-kottmann-21-ich-sollte-vielleicht-etwas-paranoider-sein-id16410916.html |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=2021-10-28 |website=Blick |language=de-CH}} during the hack, she tweeted "What if we just absolutely ended surveillance capitalism in two days?" Her Twitter account was suspended for violating Twitter's terms of service after she used it to share multiple screenshots of live security camera feeds.{{Cite web |last=Murdock |first=Jason |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Twitter suspends Verkada hacker Tillie Kottman's account after Tesla security footage leak |url=https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-suspends-verkada-hacker-tillie-kottman-account-security-footage-leak-1575046 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321024030/https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-suspends-verkada-hacker-tillie-kottman-account-security-footage-leak-1575046 |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} She contacted a Bloomberg journalist shortly after the breach, who in turn contacted Verkada, which removed the hackers' access to the network.{{Cite news |last=Turton |first=William |last2=Gretler |first2=Corinne |date=March 12, 2021 |title=Swiss Police Raid Apartment of Verkada Hacker, Seize Devices |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-12/swiss-police-raid-apartment-of-verkada-hacker-seize-devices |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315192331/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-12/swiss-police-raid-apartment-of-verkada-hacker-seize-devices |archive-date=March 15, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |work=Bloomberg News |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Ryser |first=Daniel |date=April 21, 2021 |title=Die Vereinigten Staaten gegen Tillie Kottmann |trans-title=The United States versus Tillie Kottmann |url=https://www.republik.ch/2021/04/21/die-vereinigten-staaten-gegen-tillie-kottmann |url-status=live |journal=Republik |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424222834/https://www.republik.ch/2021/04/21/die-vereinigten-staaten-gegen-tillie-kottmann |archive-date=April 24, 2021 |access-date=April 24, 2021}}{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Firmen weltweit betroffen – Hacker zapfen 150'000 Kameras an – Opfer wurden Tesla, Spitäler und ein Gefängnis |trans-title=Hackers tap into 150,000 cameras – Tesla, hospitals and a prison were victims |url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/hacker-zapfen-150-000-kameras-an-tesla-spital-und-gefaengnis-betroffen-155344967820 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526195936/https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/hacker-zapfen-150-000-kameras-an-tesla-spital-und-gefaengnis-betroffen-155344967820 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |website=Tages-Anzeiger |language=de-CH}} She told Bloomberg that the hack exposed "just how broadly we're being surveilled, and how little care is put into at least securing the platforms used to do so, pursuing nothing but profit". An acquaintance of crimew told {{Ill|Zentralplus|de}} that they thought she would have carried out the hack for fun regardless of her political views.{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Lena |last2=Birnstiel |first2=Claudio |date=March 16, 2021 |title=So tickt die Hackerin aus Luzern, die das FBI mit ihrem Angriff auf Trab hält |trans-title=This is how the hacker from Lucerne, who keeps the FBI busy with her attack, ticks |url=https://www.zentralplus.ch/so-tickt-die-hackerin-aus-luzern-die-das-fbi-mit-ihrem-angriff-auf-trab-haelt-2034325/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525184443/https://www.zentralplus.ch/so-tickt-die-hackerin-aus-luzern-die-das-fbi-mit-ihrem-angriff-auf-trab-haelt-2034325/ |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |website=:de:zentralplus |language=de-CH}}

Indictment

File:FBI_banner_on_gitrip_website.png]]

In March 2021, crimew was indicted by a grand jury in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington on charges related to several hacks she allegedly carried out between 2019 and 2021.{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2021 |title=Swiss Hacker indicted for conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/swiss-hacker-indicted-conspiracy-wire-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318234423/https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/swiss-hacker-indicted-conspiracy-wire-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=Justice.gov |language=en}} The twelve-page indictment alleged that crimew hacked dozens of entities,{{Cite news |last=Schneider |first=Joe |last2=Turton |first2=William |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Verkada Hacker Charged With Wire Fraud, Identity Theft in U.S. |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-19/verkada-hacker-charged-with-wire-fraud-identity-theft-in-u-s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319210857/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-19/verkada-hacker-charged-with-wire-fraud-identity-theft-in-u-s |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |work=Bloomberg News |language=en}} published proprietary information and code from more than 100 entities including government agencies,{{Cite news |date=March 19, 2021 |title=National Digest: Swiss hacker charged with computer intrusion, identity theft in U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-digest-swiss-hacker-charged-with-computer-intrusion-identity-theft-in-us/2021/03/19/ab04d242-83a7-11eb-9ca6-54e187ee4939_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824165245/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-digest-swiss-hacker-charged-with-computer-intrusion-identity-theft-in-us/2021/03/19/ab04d242-83a7-11eb-9ca6-54e187ee4939_story.html |archive-date=August 24, 2022 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |work=The Washington Post}} and sold hacking-related merchandise such as t-shirts.{{Cite news |last=Turton |first=William |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Swiss Hacker's Indictment Spotlights Ethics of Activist Attacks |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-19/swiss-hacker-s-indictment-spotlights-ethics-of-activist-attacks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419232005/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-19/swiss-hacker-s-indictment-spotlights-ethics-of-activist-attacks |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |access-date=April 19, 2021 |work=Bloomberg News |language=en}} It charged her with counts of computer fraud and abuse, wire fraud, and identity theft. The indictment, and a raid by the Swiss police in which crimew's electronic devices were seized at the request of United States authorities, came shortly after she claimed involvement in the Verkada hack, but did not contain charges related to it.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Maggie |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Justice Department indicts hacker connected to massive surveillance camera breach |url=https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/544063-justice-department-indicts-hacker-connected-to-massive-surveillance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319192931/https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/544063-justice-department-indicts-hacker-connected-to-massive-surveillance |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=The Hill |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=March 12, 2021 |title=A hacker who exposed Verkada's surveillance camera snafu has been raided |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/12/22328344/tillie-kottmann-hacker-raid-switzerland-verkada-cameras |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319115310/https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/12/22328344/tillie-kottmann-hacker-raid-switzerland-verkada-cameras |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en}} Seven police officers searched her home during the raid and fifteen searched the home of her parents. The website git.rip, through which photos from the hacked Verkada cameras were originally shared,{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2021 |title=US-Justiz erhebt Anklage gegen Luzerner Verkada-Hackerin Tillie Kottmann |trans-title=US justice files charges against Lucerne camera hacker |url=https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/in-100-firmen-eingedrungen-us-justiz-erhebt-anklage-gegen-luzerner-kamera-hacker-id16408943.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626212533/https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/in-100-firmen-eingedrungen-us-justiz-erhebt-anklage-gegen-luzerner-kamera-hacker-id16408943.html |archive-date=June 26, 2024 |access-date=June 26, 2024 |publisher=Blick |language=de-CH}} was seized by the FBI.{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2021 |title=USA klagen Schweizer Hackerin an |trans-title=USA accuses Swiss hacker |url=https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/tillie-kottmann-fbi-ermittelt-gegen-schweizer-hackerin-a-55778b07-197e-4250-94ea-5c4abe405a10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423221204/https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/tillie-kottmann-fbi-ermittelt-gegen-schweizer-hackerin-a-55778b07-197e-4250-94ea-5c4abe405a10 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |website=Der Spiegel |language=de}}

As of March 19, 2021, crimew was being represented by lawyer Marcel Bosonnet in Switzerland.{{Cite web |last=Cameron |first=Dell |date=March 19, 2021 |title=U.S. Indicts 21-Year-Old Accused of Leaking Stolen Data of Disney, Nintendo, and More |url=https://gizmodo.com/u-s-indicts-21-year-old-accused-of-leaking-stolen-data-1846513986 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319190901/https://gizmodo.com/u-s-indicts-21-year-old-accused-of-leaking-stolen-data-1846513986 |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-us}} A crowdfunding campaign was created in April 2021 to raise money for her to retain a lawyer in the United States.{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2021 |title=Unterstützer sammeln Geld für Luzerner Hackerin |trans-title=Supporters collect money for Lucerne hacker |url=https://www.zentralplus.ch/unterstuetzer-sammeln-geld-fuer-luzerner-hackerin-2050527/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424221149/https://www.zentralplus.ch/unterstuetzer-sammeln-geld-fuer-luzerner-hackerin-2050527/ |archive-date=April 24, 2021 |access-date=April 24, 2021 |website=:de:zentralplus |language=de-CH}}

= Public response =

People used the hashtag "#freetillie" to express support for crimew after the raid of her home.{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Verkada-Hack: Polizei durchsucht Wohnung von Tillie Kottmann in Luzern |trans-title=Verkada-Hack: Police search Tillie Kottmann's apartment in Lucerne |url=https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/nach-weltweitem-hack-von-ueberwachungskameras-polizei-stuermt-wohnung-von-luzerner-informatiker-id16397207.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525184443/https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/nach-weltweitem-hack-von-ueberwachungskameras-polizei-stuermt-wohnung-von-luzerner-informatiker-id16397207.html |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |website=Blick |language=de-CH}} Hacking researcher Gabriella Coleman said that she expected crimew to gain more support in "the hacker community" as a result of the indictment, stating that, in some cases, the United States government has been overly aggressive in prosecuting "hacktivists", who "[pursue] a variety of leftist and anti-authoritarian ideals", and that "the hacker community has this in mind". An article in Republik described crimew as "[following] in the tradition of hackers like Jeremy Hammond or Aaron Swartz." Hernâni Marques, a board member of the Swiss chapter of Chaos Computer Club, called for "solidarity" with crimew.{{Cite web |last=Rosser |first=Angela |date=April 21, 2021 |title=Luzerner Hackerin Tillie Kottmann wird von den USA angeklagt |trans-title=Swiss hacker is charged by the USA |url=https://www.20min.ch/story/schweizer-hackerin-wird-von-den-usa-angeklagt-952873969736 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427230324/https://www.20min.ch/story/schweizer-hackerin-wird-von-den-usa-angeklagt-952873969736 |archive-date=April 27, 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |website=20 Minuten |language=de}} Seattle prosecutors rebuked the view that the leak had "any redeeming quality", with U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman stating that "publishing source code and proprietary and sensitive information on the web is not protected speech — it is theft and fraud", and that "wrapping oneself in an allegedly altruistic motive does not remove the criminal stench from such intrusion, theft, and fraud".

= Possibility of extradition or trial in Switzerland =

After the indictment, a United States Department of Justice spokesperson told Blick that proceedings had been suspended, explaining that the United States would not continue with the case unless crimew was present in the US and defended by a lawyer. Crimew has expressed confidence that she will not be extradited to the United States. Swiss lawyer Roman Kost stated that Swiss extradition law does not allow extradition of citizens without their consent, but that Swiss hackers "can be tried in Switzerland if there is sufficient suspicion and evidence, and if they are found guilty, they can be punished”. Switzerland's Federal Department of Justice and Police confirmed to zentralplus that it does not extradite Swiss nationals against their will.{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Lena |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Luzerner Hackerin wird in Amerika angeklagt |trans-title=Lucerne hacker is charged in America |url=https://www.zentralplus.ch/luzerner-hackerin-wird-in-amerika-angeklagt-2038039/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525184447/https://www.zentralplus.ch/luzerner-hackerin-wird-in-amerika-angeklagt-2038039/ |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |website=:de:zentralplus |language=de-CH}} Swiss newspaper Le Temps reported that crimew would not be extradited and would instead be tried in Switzerland.{{Cite news |last=Seydtaghia |first=Anouch |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Traqué par les Etats-Unis, le hacker suisse risque 20 ans de prison |trans-title=Hunted by the United States, the Swiss hacker faces 20 years in prison |url=https://www.letemps.ch/economie/traque-etatsunis-hacker-suisse-risque-20-ans-prison |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526195935/https://www.letemps.ch/economie/traque-etatsunis-hacker-suisse-risque-20-ans-prison |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |work=Le Temps |language=fr-CH |issn=1423-3967}}

20 Minuten reported that if crimew was tried in Switzerland, she would face a maximum of four and a half years in prison. Hernâni Marques said that "much of what [she] did would not be punishable in Switzerland", additionally stating that much of the data crimew leaked was publicly available on the internet and arguing that the hack of Verkada was "legitimate and useful for society" because of the privacy issue it exposed. In March 2021, Blick reported that a potential warrant for crimew's arrest issued by the United States would likely be executed by all countries that share a border with Switzerland. In September 2021, crimew told null41 that she was certain she would never be able to travel to certain countries again, and that even if she was able to travel in the future, it would be risky because of the possibility of extradition from other countries. She noted that, unlike Julian Assange, she was not relying on the goodwill of a country, because the Swiss constitution prohibits her extradition.{{Cite web |last=Schulthess |first=Anja Nora |last2=Muffler |first2=Robyn |date=2021-09-06 |title=Die Luzerner Hackerin Tillie Kottmann im Interview |trans-title=An interview with Lucerne hacker Tillie Kottmann |url=https://www.null41.ch/blog/die-luzerner-hackerin-tillie-kottmann-im-interview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005221448/https://www.null41.ch/blog/die-luzerner-hackerin-tillie-kottmann-im-interview |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |access-date=2021-10-05 |website=041 - Das Kulturmagazin |language=de}} In October 2021, Zeit Magazin reported that, while Interpol does not publicize most of its investigations, it was likely that an international arrest warrant had been issued for crimew, which would potentially render her unable to leave Switzerland.{{Cite web |last=Rusch |first=Marlon |date=October 20, 2021 |title=Hackerin Tillie Kottmann: Tillie gegen die Vereinigten Staaten |trans-title=Hacker Tillie Kottmann: Tillie versus the United States |url=https://www.zeit.de/zustimmung?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zeit.de%2Fzeit-magazin%2F2021%2F43%2Fhackerin-tillie-kottmann-usa-justizministerium-klage-aktivismus-schweiz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028043742/https://www.zeit.de/zustimmung?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zeit.de%2Fzeit-magazin%2F2021%2F43%2Fhackerin-tillie-kottmann-usa-justizministerium-klage-aktivismus-schweiz |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=2021-10-28 |website=Zeit Magazin |language=de-CH}}

Feelyou vulnerability discovery

In July 2022, crimew discovered and reported a vulnerability in the mental health app Feelyou, which exposed the email addresses of its nearly 80,000 users and allowed anyone to connect supposedly anonymous posts to the email addresses of the users who posted them.{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |date=July 18, 2022 |title=Anonymous mental health app Feelyou accidentally exposed 70,000 personal emails |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/feelyou-mental-health-app-data-leak/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720050056/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/feelyou-mental-health-app-data-leak/ |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |access-date=July 20, 2022 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}

No Fly and Selectee Lists leak

On January 19, 2023, crimew reported that she had gained access to 2019 versions of the US government's No Fly List of 1.56 million entries and Selectee List of 250,000 entries hosted by CommuteAir on an unsecured Amazon Web Services cloud server.{{Cite web |last=arson crimew |first=Maia |date=19 January 2023 |title=how to completely own an airline in 3 easy steps |url=https://maia.crimew.gay/posts/how-to-hack-an-airline/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121181330/https://maia.crimew.gay/posts/how-to-hack-an-airline/ |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=maia.crimew.gay |publisher=maia arson crimew |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=DeGeurin |first=Mack |date=20 January 2023 |title=Hacker Reportedly Gets Hands on Massive No-Fly List of Alleged Terrorist Suspects |url=https://gizmodo.com/hacker-no-fly-list-terrorist-airlines-1850013192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121182902/https://gizmodo.com/hacker-no-fly-list-terrorist-airlines-1850013192 |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |access-date=21 January 2023 |agency=Gizmodo}}{{Cite web |last=Hasbrouck |first=Edward |title=The #NoFly list is a #MuslimBan list |url=https://papersplease.org/wp/2023/01/20/the-nofly-list-is-a-muslimban-list/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121200831/https://papersplease.org/wp/2023/01/20/the-nofly-list-is-a-muslimban-list/ |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=PapersPlease.org |publisher=The Identity Project}} Crimew noted that, despite the size of the Terrorism Screening Database, there were "very clear trends towards almost exclusively Arabic and Russian sounding names throughout the million entries";{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |last2=Covucci |first2=David |date=19 January 2023 |title=EXCLUSIVE: U.S. airline accidentally exposes 'No Fly List' on unsecured server |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/no-fly-list-us-tsa-unprotected-server-commuteair/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131103744/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/no-fly-list-us-tsa-unprotected-server-commuteair/ |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=31 January 2023 |website=The Daily Dot |publisher=maia arson crimew |language=en}} over 10% of the listed entries contained "Muhammad" in either the first or last name fields.

Crimew posted the leaked information alongside photos of a toy version of the Pokémon character Sprigatito, causing the character to become an Internet meme associated with the hack.{{Cite web |last=Bevan |first=Rhiannon |date=2023-01-22 |title=Hacker Gains Access To No Fly List, Shares News With Sprigatito Plush |url=https://www.thegamer.com/no-flight-list-hack-sprigatito-plush-maia-arson-crimew/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Iain |date=2023-01-24 |title=Pokemon’s Sprigatito becomes the unwitting mascot of “anarchist kitten’s” colossal No-Fly List leak |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/pokemons-sprigatito-becomes-the-unwitting-mascot-of-anarchist-kittens-colossal-no-fly-list-leak/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=gamesradar |language=en}}

Adrian Dittmann/Elon Musk investigation

Crimew worked with journalist Ryan Fae to investigate the true identity behind what was thought to be one of Elon Musk's alternative accounts on Twitter, determining that Adrian Dittmann was his real name and that he lived in Fiji. This was revealed in a January 2025 article in The Spectator written by Jacqueline Sweet. In response, the accounts of crimew as well as the two journalists were suspended from Twitter,{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Hadas |date=2025-01-06 |title=X suspends journalist after debunking theory Elon Musk fan account was Musk himself |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/06/business/x-banned-a-journalist-for-disproving-a-rumor-about-elon-musk/index.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=CNN |language=en}} and links to the Spectator article as well as crimew and Fae's independent article on the investigation were blocked from being shared on the site.{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |date=2025-01-13 |title=Elon Musk continues crackdown on journalists who revealed he isn't Adrian Dittman |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/elon-musk-adrian-dittman-journalists/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}

Personal life and beliefs

Crimew lives in Switzerland. She is non-binary and uses it/its and she/her pronouns,{{Cite web |last=crimew |first=maia arson |title=maia :3 |url=https://maia.crimew.gay/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430195206/https://maia.crimew.gay/ |archive-date=April 30, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2022 |website=maia.crimew.gay}} with a strong preference for it/its. She is autistic{{Cite web |title=maia: (@maia@crimew.gay) |url=https://crimew.gay/users/maia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710214948/https://crimew.gay/users/maia |archive-date=July 10, 2023 |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=crimew.gay |language=en}} and identifies as both bisexual and a lesbian.{{Cite web |last=crimew |first=maia arson |date=24 January 2023 |title=also like the fact that they keep telling me identifying as a bi lesbian is (somehow, allegedly) resulting in real life violence against lesbians but as soon as i point out theyre trying to get me killed discourse doesnt affect anyone materially anymore |url=https://nyancrimew.tumblr.com/post/707392151895588864/also-like-the-fact-that-they-keep-telling-me |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004224612/https://tumblr.crimew.gay/post/707392151895588864/also-like-the-fact-that-they-keep-telling-me |archive-date=October 4, 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023 |website=Tumblr}} She is a member of the Young Socialists Switzerland, and has run for political candidacy on socialist platforms. Crimew has cited curiosity, anti-capitalism, anarchism, and opposition to the concept of intellectual property as motives for her hacking,{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=James |date=March 19, 2021 |title='Anti-capitalist' Verkada hacker charged by US government with attacks on dozens of companies |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/19/22339625/tillie-kottmann-swiss-hacker-verkada-charged-us-government-verkada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319111805/https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/19/22339625/tillie-kottmann-swiss-hacker-verkada-charged-us-government-verkada |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 19, 2021 |website=The Verge}}{{Cite news |last=Menn |first=Joseph |author-link=Joseph Menn |date=March 26, 2021 |title=New wave of 'hacktivism' adds twist to cybersecurity woes |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-hacktivism-focus-idUSKBN2BH3HJ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327164842/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-hacktivism-focus-idUSKBN2BH3HJ |archive-date=March 27, 2021 |access-date=March 27, 2021 |work=Reuters |language=en}} stating that "caring about literally nothing but profit definitely doesn't result in security". She has additionally stated that she believes source code and documentation should be public, and that she thinks of herself as a hacktivist. Crimew has stated that being queer and experiencing discrimination contributed to the development of her political views.{{Cite web |last=Fabian |first=Vogt |date=April 21, 2021 |title=USA wollen sie dingfest machen: Jetzt redet die meistgesuchte Hackerin der Schweiz |trans-title=USA want to arrest them: Now the most wanted hacker in Switzerland is talking |url=https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/usa-wollen-sie-dingfest-machen-jetzt-redet-die-meistgesuchte-hackerin-der-schweiz-id16474327.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525185451/https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/usa-wollen-sie-dingfest-machen-jetzt-redet-die-meistgesuchte-hackerin-der-schweiz-id16474327.html |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |website=Blick |language=de-CH}}

Crimew has also been known as Tillie Kottmann, "deletescape", and "tillie crimew". In 2022, she legally changed her name to maia arson crimew, which is stylized in all lowercase.{{Cite tweet |number=1526550551751806977 |user=_nyancrimew |title=i am now legally maia arson |author=maia arson crimew |date=May 17, 2022 |access-date=2022-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601132412/https://twitter.com/_nyancrimew/status/1526550551751806977 |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |url-status=dead |link=no}}