GTA 6 Hacker Trial Set for 9 November Before Launch

A jury decided in 2023 that he carried out the Rockstar hack. It could not decide whether he was guilty. That question finally reaches a courtroom in November.

By Dana WhitlockPublished 17 Oct 2026Last updated 17 Oct 20264 min read

mechanics working on a green off road truck with its bonnet open inside a graffiti covered garage in a Rockstar Games image for GTA 6 — Image: Rockstar Games. Official promotional image used for news reporting.

The short version

The GTA 6 hacker trial is due to start on 9 November 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court in London, his defence barristers say. Arion Kurtaj was found in 2023 to have carried out the 2022 Rockstar Games hack, but he was ruled unfit to plead and never convicted. GTA 6 launches ten days later, on 19 November.

Quick answer

When is the GTA 6 hacker trial?

The GTA 6 hacker trial is due to start on 9 November 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court in London, his defence barristers say. Arion Kurtaj was found in 2023 to have carried out the 2022 Rockstar Games hack, but he was never convicted. GTA 6 launches ten days later, on 19 November.

A jury decided three years ago that Arion Kurtaj hacked Rockstar Games. It never decided he was guilty. That gap closes in a London courtroom ten days before GTA 6 reaches PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Red Lion Chambers, the barristers defending him, said in a LinkedIn post that his trial is listed for 9 November 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court. GTAVice reported the post on 9 October, and GTA BOOM followed a day later. The date resurfaced on X this morning.

The chambers says he was assessed as fit to plead after two years of treatment in a secure hospital. Barristers Trevor Archer and Andrew Herd are defending him, GTA BOOM reports. Archer also argued his 2025 appeal.

Date	What happened	Source
22 September 2022	Police arrest him for a third time, after the Rockstar Games, Uber and Revolut hacks	Court of Appeal judgment
22 June 2023	A judge rules him unfit to plead	Court of Appeal judgment
21 December 2023	He is given a restricted hospital order for an unlimited period	City of London Police
11 September 2025	The Court of Appeal dismisses his appeal against the jury's findings	Court of Appeal judgment
July 2026	The BBC reports he has moved from hospital to prison to await trial	IGN, TheGamer
9 November 2026	Trial due to start at Woolwich Crown Court	Red Lion Chambers via GTAVice
19 November 2026	GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X	S

Why was the GTA 6 hacker never convicted?

A judge ruled him unfit to plead in 2023. That meant the jury could only decide whether he did the acts, and a finding like that is not a conviction.

The Court of Appeal judgment says three psychiatrists agreed on a diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Judge Patricia Lees found him unfit to plead on 22 June 2023 at Southwark Crown Court. The jury then found he had done all the relevant acts across twelve counts.

City of London Police said he was given a restricted hospital order for an unlimited period in December 2023. Being found fit to plead now lets the case go through a normal criminal trial, Rockstar Report explains.

a red, white and blue stars and stripes classic car with Deviant lettering on the door in a Rockstar Games image for GTA 6 — Image: Rockstar Games. Official screenshot used for news reporting.

What is the GTA 6 hacker accused of?

Twelve offences tied to the Lapsus$ hacking group, which prosecutors say he helped lead. The Court of Appeal lists computer misuse, blackmail, fraud and refusing to hand over a phone PIN.

Four of those counts cover September 2022, when the group hit Revolut, Uber and Rockstar Games, the judgment says. The others relate to attacks on companies including BT, EE and NVIDIA between July 2021 and February 2022.

Police arrested him for the third time on 22 September 2022. The prosecution case was that he had been attacking Rockstar's systems moments before officers walked into his room. He was on bail with a condition banning smartphones, yet police took an iPhone 13 from him that day.

More than 90 GTA 6 development videos had already spilled online in that breach, GTA BOOM recalls.

Will the GTA 6 hacker trial affect the launch?

There is nothing to suggest it will. No source links the court date to Rockstar's plans, and GTA 6 is still set for 19 November 2026.

The trial date itself could still move. eTeknix notes there is no guarantee the case goes ahead on 9 November. Kurtaj has not been convicted of any of these offences, and this trial is where a jury will be asked to decide guilt.

Rockstar has lived with that leak for four years. Aaron Garbut of Rockstar North told Bloomberg it felt like “somebody’s wading through your dirty washing,” as our breakdown of the Bloomberg GTA 6 report covers.

Leaks are still a live worry this autumn, and our Cyberleek leak claims tracker separates what is verified from what is not. For launch week timing and editions, the GTA 6 FAQ answers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

When is the GTA 6 hacker trial?

It is due to start on 9 November 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court in London. Red Lion Chambers, which is defending Arion Kurtaj, gave the date in a LinkedIn post reported by GTAVice on 9 October.

Who is the GTA 6 hacker?

Arion Kurtaj, who prosecutors say was a leading figure in the Lapsus$ hacking group. A jury found in 2023 that he carried out a series of hacks, including the September 2022 attack on Rockstar Games.

Was the GTA 6 hacker convicted?

No. He was ruled unfit to plead in 2023, so the jury only decided whether he did the acts. He was given a restricted hospital order instead of a sentence, and he has not been convicted of these offences.

Why is there a new GTA 6 hacker trial?

Red Lion Chambers says he has been assessed as fit to plead after two years of treatment in a secure hospital. That allows the case to go through a normal criminal trial, where a jury can decide guilt.

Will the trial delay GTA 6?

There is nothing to suggest it will. No source links the court date to Rockstar's plans, and GTA 6 is still set for 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.