On Tuesday, an Illinois man who orchestrated a phishing scheme to gain unauthorized access to hundreds of women’s Snapchat accounts and steal intimate images has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison.
Illinois Hacker Sentenced for Massive Snapchat Phishing Scheme
Kyle Svara, 27, was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges tied to a widespread Snapchat hacking operation that targeted hundreds of women, according to federal prosecutors, Reuters reported.
Snapchat is the social media platform of Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP).
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy imposed the sentence in Boston. A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office confirmed the sentencing.
Prosecutors said Svara carried out the scheme between May 2020 and February 2021, sending fraudulent text messages to more than 1,500 women while posing as Snapchat’s support team.
The phishing messages convinced victims to share security verification codes, allowing him to access their accounts.
Authorities said Svara successfully breached the Snapchat accounts of at least 517 women and downloaded nude or semi-nude images belonging to at least 59 victims.
Stolen Images Were Kept, Sold and Traded Online
According to prosecutors, Svara did more than collect the stolen images for personal use.
He also advertised his hacking services online and sold or traded the stolen content.
Court records show that former Northeastern University track and field coach Steve Waithe paid Svara $50 to hack Snapchat accounts belonging to women, including athletes he had coached, so he could obtain private images.
Waithe was sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after prosecutors said he victimized at least 56 women through schemes designed to obtain intimate photos.
Defendant Expressed ‘Profound Remorse’
Svara pleaded guilty in February to computer fraud, aggravated identity theft and making a false statement to law enforcement after investigators found child sexual abuse material linked to his online accounts despite his claim that he had no interest in child pornography.
His attorneys argued the offenses occurred while he was isolated at home during the COVID-19 pandemic as a University of Illinois student and said he has “profound remorse and shame” for his actions.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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