FBI agents on Thursday arrested an Alabama man for his alleged role in the Jan. 9 hack of the Securities and Exchange Commission's X account, which sent the price of bitcoin spiking by more than $1,000, the Department of Justice announced. The tweet said, "Today the SEC grants approval for #Bitcoin ETFs for listing on all registered national securities exchanges." Shortly afterward, the SEC regained control of its social media account, and announced the tweet was false and the result of a hack. A day after the hack, the SEC approved rule changes that allowed the creation of bitcoin ETFs in the United States. Council, who used the online handles "Ronin," "Easymunny," and "AGiantSchnauzer," allegedly was paid in bitcoin by co-conspirators for his role in the hack.

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Persons: Eric Council Jr, Gary Gensler Organizations: Securities, Exchange, Department of Justice, Northern, Northern District of, Prosecutors, SEC, BTC, DOJ, Council, FBI Locations: Alabama, Northern District, Northern District of Alabama, United States