Dutch authorities have apprehended a 24-year-old hacker from Amsterdam linked to the notorious ShinyHunters cybercriminal group, implicated in hacking over 140 organizations globally. The arrest took place on September 15 at the offices of Neo Security, where the suspect worked as CTO, with the police employing a tactical raid involving flash-bang grenades. This individual is accused of participating in a criminal organization and is currently in custody, awaiting court proceedings scheduled on September 29. Police uncovered plans related to two murders on his laptop, triggering a separate investigation into attempted murder unrelated to the cybercrime probe.

The ShinyHunters gang is known for stealing vast amounts of data from companies and demanding ransoms to prevent public leaks. Their high-profile victims include Pornhub, Ticketmaster, AT&T, and Dutch mobile operator Odido. Although the man arrested has denied involvement with all breaches, Dutch police emphasized his connection to ShinyHunters, excluding the Odido hack. Independent reporting identifies the suspect as Pepijn van der Stap, who Bloomberg previously profiled as a security researcher with a criminal hacking background.

This arrest follows ShinyHunters’ recent claim of breaching FBI systems through their career portal, harvesting sensitive personal data on thousands of agents and applicants, including Social Security numbers, medical tests, and psychiatric records. The FBI has internally declared a cybersecurity incident but has yet to publicly confirm the scope. The hackers insist the FBI breach was not financially motivated but aimed to challenge public assertions damaging to their group’s reputation.

The FBI and Dutch High Tech Crime Unit have pledged to pursue remaining ShinyHunters members vigorously. The FBI’s cyber division leader, Brett Leatherman, highlighted swift action to protect victims and preserve evidence after the arrest. Meanwhile, ShinyHunters maintain they will not release the stolen FBI data, seeking only to dispute prior allegations. This case illustrates escalating dangers posed by cybercrime syndicates that blend data theft with violent criminal plans.