According to a report from Rockstar Intel, a hacker who claims to have “reformed” was arrested by local police in the Netherlands earlier this week. The hacker is suspected to be one of the leaders of the well-known hacking group “ShinyHunters.” In response, the FBI, which worked with local police in the arrest operation, also claims that the man has been involved in a series of illegal hacking attacks since last year, including the Rockstar Games intrusion that led to the leak of internal operational details of GTA Online.
On September 28, the Dutch National Police released a statement online confirming that local police had conducted an investigation into the ShinyHunters group and arrested a 24-year-old man in Amsterdam. Authorities emphasized that the group is suspected of breaching more than 100 large companies and organizations. In addition to Rockstar Games, the group had also brazenly launched attacks on entities such as the FBI and Ticketmaster.
Although the local police in the Netherlands did not publicly disclose the hacker’s name, Reuters later revealed in its report that the man was named Pepijn van der Stap and, before his arrest, served as offensive security lead at the Amsterdam-based cybersecurity company Neo Securit. Van der Stap had previously been prosecuted and convicted for criminal acts including hacking activities. After being released from prison, he claimed he had “gone straight” and formally joined Neo Securit. However, according to an official FBI statement, Van der Stap had also become one of the leaders of the ShinyHunters group since 2025.
Back in April of this year, Rockstar Games suffered a major data breach, and the organization behind the attack was ShinyHunters. Reports indicated that the group tried to extort Rockstar, demanding a ransom or else it would release the stolen confidential information. In response, Rockstar refused to give in, and ShinyHunters subsequently published the sensitive data, inadvertently revealing never-before-disclosed operational details about GTA Online, such as that the game brings in an average of $1 million per day for Rockstar.
However, the ShinyHunters group also came forward to directly deny allegations that Van der Stap had participated in the organization’s activities, and mocked the Dutch police for their inadequate investigative capabilities. Just after Van der Stap was arrested, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman also issued a stern warning directly to other members of ShinyHunters, urging them to turn themselves in before they are caught.
“I want to say a few words to the remaining members of ShinyHunters. You’ve probably already heard that your associates have been arrested. We can say with confidence that you have seen or heard something in recent days that has not yet been made public. Other hacking groups also thought anonymity or having friends cover for them would protect them, and in the end, they were all proven wrong. Arrests often change how willing people are to talk, and seized equipment can show us who else remains in the organization. The longer you stay in this circle, the more we know about you. You know how to find us, and we know how to find you. I suggest you contact us to turn yourselves in while you can still freely make your own choices.” Brett Leatherman wrote.
Source: KOCPC Chinese