Dutch Police Arrest Suspected Hacker Behind Claimed FBI Data Breach

Tue Sep 29 2026 18:01:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 24‑year‑old Amsterdam resident has been detained by Dutch authorities after a cyber‑crime collective claimed to have stolen data on 38,000 FBI agents.

Earlier this month the ShinyHunters hacking group announced that it had accessed confidential information of every FBI bureau staff member. Dutch police arrested a 24‑year‑old suspect in Amsterdam on 15 September, the same day the alleged breach was first reported. The man was also charged with attempted incitement to commit two overseas murders, and devices seized during the raid revealed plans for those crimes. U.S. officials expressed gratitude for the cooperation and urged other members of the group to surrender. Investigation continues as Dutch authorities consider additional arrests.

Dutch Police Arrest Suspected Hacker Behind Claimed FBI Data Breach

Amsterdam, 29 September 2026 – Dutch police arrested a 24‑year‑old man in Amsterdam on suspicion of being a member of the ShinyHunters cyber‑crime collective, which claimed to have stolen sensitive data on all 38,000 FBI bureau staff members.

The group announced the breach on 21 September, releasing screenshots that apparently contained agent names, roles, badge numbers, home addresses and phone numbers. Dutch officials say the suspect was apprehended on 15 September, before the alleged attack was publicly disclosed.

Police seized the man’s devices, finding a “large amount of information” on his laptop, including details about two planned murders abroad. The suspect has been held in custody since his arrest, and Dutch investigators have not ruled out further detentions.

Stan Duijf, head of Dutch cyber‑crime investigations, stated that ShinyHunters is responsible for a “large number of national and international victims” and that the arrest is a significant step in the ongoing probe.

FBI director Kash Patel thanked Dutch partners on X, noting that FBI teams are working with authorities to follow up on new leads derived from the arrest. Assistant director Brett Leatherman called on other members of the group to surrender while the choice “is still yours”, warning that “the longer you stay in this, the more we learn about you.”

The group, believed to have originated in France, has also hacked Rockstar Games in April and the education platform Canvas in May. Its latest claim involves a vulnerability in the Oracle cloud system used by FBI services such as FBIJOBS, FBI BEAST, MedLink and BICS.

ShinyHunters’ message on the dark web stated it did not hack for money but demanded the FBI retract a May advisory that it felt mischaracterised the group. The advisory still on the FBI website describes ShinyHunters as “threat actors” who exploit access claims to pressure victims for payment.