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Media identify Dutch ShinyHunters suspect as cybersecurity professional; murder plot alleged

Suspect appeared in court Tuesday as FBI warns remaining hackers to surrender

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time3 min
Sources3 outlets
Dutch police have arrested a 24-year-old man identified by media as Pepijn van der Stap, a cybersecurity professional, on suspicion of being a leader of the ShinyHunters hacking group. Investigators said they found evidence on his laptop of a plot to commit two murders abroad. The FBI publicly thanked Dutch partners and urged other ShinyHunters members to turn themselves in.

Dutch police arrested the suspect in Amsterdam on September 15, before the ShinyHunters group claimed to have breached an FBI recruitment system. He appeared before judges at Rotterdam District Court on Tuesday and has been remanded into custody for at least 90 days.

The arrest was carried out by the Dutch High Tech Crime Unit, which seized his devices. Police said they found "a large amount of information" on his laptop, including "details about two murders that were to be committed abroad" that they suspect he may have ordered. Dutch officials said this investigation is separate from the ShinyHunters probe.

ShinyHunters is a cybercriminal group accused of hacking over 140 organizations worldwide, including Pornhub, Ticketmaster, AT&T, and Dutch telecom Odido. The group claimed responsibility for the Odido breach that affected 6.2 million customers and recently boasted of compromising an FBI system, telling The Register they did it "to protect our business."

Dutch police said the suspect is being investigated for participating in a criminal organization. Media outlets including Bloomberg and KrebsOnSecurity have named the man as Pepijn van der Stap, who was previously convicted of hacking, data theft, and extortion and sentenced to four years in prison. He later returned to legitimate cybersecurity work, with a company identifying him as working as an offensive security lead. The suspect's lawyer could not be reached for comment.

FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman said in a video message that Dutch authorities had arrested one of the "alleged leaders of ShinyHunters." He added that the Dutch unit "moved quickly to protect victims and preserve critical evidence" and vowed to pursue remaining members. FBI Director Kash Patel thanked Dutch partners on X, stating that FBI teams are actively working to obtain and execute more leads. Leatherman directly addressed group members: "Other groups believed anonymity or their friends would protect them... but arrests have a way of changing who is willing to talk. The longer you stay in this, the more we learn about you."

Dutch police have not ruled out further arrests. The suspect has been held since his arrest, and police said they received 20 tips following a public appeal earlier this month related to the Odido investigation.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The arrest of an alleged leader disrupts a group responsible for dozens of high-profile data breaches affecting millions of people worldwide.
  • The discovery of a murder plot raises the stakes, showing that cybercriminal operations can have violent real-world dimensions.
  • FBI involvement signals international cooperation is intensifying, which could deter other hacking groups or push them to change tactics.

Background

ShinyHunters emerged as a prolific extortion group that steals corporate data and threatens to publish it unless ransoms are paid. They have claimed attacks on major companies and government agencies, including a recent breach of an FBI recruitment system allegedly exposing data on all bureau staff. The group has operated with relative impunity, often taunting victims and law enforcement. The suspect, a Dutch national with a prior hacking conviction, had reportedly returned to legitimate cybersecurity work before his arrest.

Key Perspectives

[FBI and Dutch Police]: The arrest is a significant blow to a dangerous cybercriminal network. They emphasize that the investigation is ongoing and urge other members to surrender. [Cybersecurity Industry]: The case highlights the challenge of insiders who use legitimate skills for criminal purposes, potentially eroding trust in security professionals. [ShinyHunters]: The group has denied the arrested individual is connected to them, though they have not provided evidence. Their claim to have hacked the FBI suggests they remain defiant.

What to Watch

  • Whether the suspect is formally charged with the murder plot and what evidence is presented.
  • Further arrests of ShinyHunters members, especially if any cooperate with authorities.
  • The status of the stolen FBI data and whether it has been leaked or sold.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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