A former US Army Private admitted in court to a sweeping cybercrime operation targeting major telecom providers AT&T and Verizon between April 2023 and December 2024.
Operating as 'kiberphant0m,' he infiltrated at least ten corporate networks, stealing login credentials and sensitive call logs, including those of senior officials.
Prosecutors revealed a sophisticated scheme: the hacker used brute‑force SSH attacks, coordinated with online accomplices via Telegram, and attempted extortion valued at over US$1 million. Stolen call records were posted and sold on dark‑web platforms such as BreachForums.
Wagenius pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud conspiracy, computer extortion, and aggravated identity theft. He faces a combined sentence of up to 27 years, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for 6 October 2025.
Security analysts note this case highlights the increasing threat of insiders exploiting privileged access and illustrates how even service‑level employees can orchestrate wide‑scale cyber intrusions and extortion campaigns.
It also underscores the strategic role of public-private coordination in dismantling online illicit economies.
