Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested a 24-year-old man from Amsterdam, whom the FBI alleges was a leader of the hacking group ShinyHunters and involved in the data breach that exposed confidential financial details about Rockstar Games's <em>GTA Online</em>. The Dutch National Police confirmed the arrest, which follows an investigation into ShinyHunters, a group reportedly responsible for hacking over 100 organizations, including Rockstar Games and the FBI.
While the Dutch police did not name the suspect, Reuters identified him as Pepijn van der Stap, an offensive cybersecurity lead at Neo Security. Van der Stap had previously faced criminal charges related to hacking and had claimed to be reformed. However, the FBI states that he has been a leader within ShinyHunters since 2025.
The data breach, which occurred in April, saw ShinyHunters allegedly attempt to extort Rockstar Games for money to prevent the release of stolen information. Rockstar Games reportedly did not pay the ransom, leading to the data being leaked. This leaked data provided insights into <em>GTA Online</em>'s profitability, revealing that the live-service game generates over one million dollars daily. The leak was reportedly so positive for Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, that it contributed to an increase in their stock price.
ShinyHunters has denied Van der Stap's involvement with the group and questioned the competence of the Dutch police. Following the arrest, FBI Assistant Director of Cyber Division, Brett Leatherman, issued a warning to the remaining members of ShinyHunters, urging them to surrender before they are apprehended. Leatherman stated that the FBI is confident in its ability to identify and locate the remaining individuals, emphasizing that anonymity and association with others will not guarantee protection.