US Report: Fugitive hacker nabbed by FBI

Petersen was arrested in a modest apartment building in Studio City, California, which he had been sharing with three other people. The Marshals entered the apartment using a key provided by the building's manager. When they entered, the Marshals said, they found Petersen alone -- sitting on his bed and using his laptop computer.

Petersen was arrested and taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. Ironically, this is the same place where imprisoned hacker Kevin Mitnick is currently being held. Petersen rose to fame after helping the FBI arrest Mitnick on a probation violation in the early 1990s.

He had been on the run from authorities since the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles issued an arrest warrant for Petersen -- on parole for hacking a financial institution and electronically stealing $150,000 (£91,000) -- on Sept. 30.

Petersen faces 5 to 11 months in jail for walking away from supervision.