Ethical Hacking News
Kai West, aka IntelBroker, has been indicted for his alleged role in a global hacking scheme that caused millions of dollars in damages. The indictment charges him with computer intrusion and wire fraud, with potential sentences up to 20 years. This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat global cybercrime operations.
Kai West, aka IntelBroker, has been indicted for his alleged role in a global hacking scheme causing millions of dollars in damages.He faces charges of computer intrusion and wire fraud with potential sentences up to 20 years.The indictment marks a significant milestone in combating global cybercrime operations.International cooperation and collaboration among law enforcement agencies played a crucial role in the investigation.Kai West was arrested in France in February 2025 and is being held in pre-trial detention awaiting extradition for cybercrimes.
Kai West, a 25-year-old British national, has been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for his alleged role in a global cybercrime operation that caused millions of dollars in damages. The indictment, which was unsealed on June 26, 2025, charges West with operating as "IntelBroker," a persona under which he allegedly conducted a years-long hacking scheme.
The indictment alleges that despite claiming to be from Russia or Eastern Europe, "IntelBroker" made several critical operational security (OPSEC) errors that investigators were able to exploit. These errors included crypto payments linked to accounts tied to West and matching IP addresses used by both West and IntelBroker on YouTube. Additionally, authorities believe West was a BreachForums administrator, with French officials pursuing other forum administrators as well.
According to the indictment, "IntelBroker" led a group known as "CyberN[——]," which breached over 40 organizations between 2023 and 2025, stealing sensitive data and selling it on a forum known as "Forum-1," likely BreachForums. West offered stolen data for sale at least 41 times and distributed it freely or for credits about 117 times, seeking over $2 million in payment while causing over $25 million in damages. His targets included U.S. telecom and healthcare firms.
West accepted Monero for payment and was even listed as Forum-1's owner from August 2024 to January 2025. The indictment charges West with computer intrusion and wire fraud, with potential sentences up to 20 years. The FBI, DOJ, and international partners aided in the investigation, which is led by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan B. Finkel.
It is worth noting that West's alleged role in this global cybercrime operation was considered a significant threat actor until his indictment. The group was linked to several high-profile breaches, including those at DC Health Link, Europol, Volvo Cars, AMD, Zscaler, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).
The indictment marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat global cybercrime operations. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation among nations in addressing this growing threat.
Following his arrest in France in February 2025, West was held in pre-trial detention while awaiting extradition for cybercrimes. His case is considered one of the most significant to date, highlighting the impact that individual hackers can have on global cybersecurity.
The indictment also underscores the value of the international cooperation and collaboration among law enforcement agencies in combating transnational cybercrime operations.
In summary, Kai West, aka IntelBroker, has been indicted for his alleged role in a global hacking scheme that caused millions of dollars in damages. The indictment charges him with computer intrusion and wire fraud, with potential sentences up to 20 years. The case marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat global cybercrime operations.
Kai West, aka IntelBroker, has been indicted for his alleged role in a global hacking scheme that caused millions of dollars in damages. The indictment charges him with computer intrusion and wire fraud, with potential sentences up to 20 years. This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat global cybercrime operations.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Kai-West-aka-IntelBroker-Indictment-A-Global-Cybercrime-Operation-Exposed-ehn.shtml
https://securityaffairs.com/179367/cyber-crime/kai-west-aka-intelbroker-indicted-for-cyberattacks-causing-25m-in-damages.html
Published: Thu Jun 26 15:19:30 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
