GoKawiilEx-Army soldier sentenced to 70 months for hacking AT&T, Verizon and other firms
Cameron John Wagenius, a former U.S. Army soldier known online as 'kiberphant0m,' was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to hacking and extorting at least 10 technology and telecommunications companies, including AT&T and Verizon, between April 2023 and December 2024. He was also ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution for stealing customer records and threatening to leak or sell the data unless victims paid ransoms.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case shows how insiders with technical skills can use commercial tools like SSH Brute and criminal forums such as BreachForums to run large-scale extortion operations against major carriers. The Justice Department's account of attempted extortion topping $1 million highlights the ongoing exposure of telecom customer data to organized cybercrime networks, and the involvement of accomplices suggests coordinated criminal collaboration rather than a lone actor.
- Wagenius was sentenced to 70 months and ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution.
- He targeted at least 10 tech and telecom firms, including AT&T and Verizon, using stolen credentials.
- Prosecutors say he and co-conspirators attempted to extort at least $1 million from victims.
Source: bleepingcomputer.com, 2026-09-28
Published there as: “US soldier gets 70 months in prison for extorting 10 tech, telecom firms”
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