Sounds like it was stopping the attacks that put him on the radar of investigators. Not sure if that’s the best lesson to teach hackers.
Actually the GCHQ (British version of the NSA) knew he would be arrested if he went to America but let him go anyway so they wouldn’t have to deal with him in the British Courts, nor have to deal with any USA extradition problems.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/21/gchq_knew_marcus_hutchins_risked_arrest_fbi/