A former U.S. Army soldier, Cameron John Wagenius, has received a 70-month prison sentence for illegally accessing the systems of telecom giants AT&T and Verizon. His actions included leaking sensitive call records of a government official, as detailed in court documents.
Details of the Hacking Activities
Wagenius, 22, conducted these cyber intrusions while still enlisted in the military, between April 2023 and December 2024. Reports reveal that he aimed to extort victims by retrieving confidential data from the wireless carriers’ databases.
In November 2024, he escalated his activities by publicly exposing call detail records of a government official, with threats to release more sensitive information if his demands were not met.
Operations and Accomplices
Using the alias “kiberphant0m,” Wagenius collaborated with other cybercriminals to infiltrate at least ten organizations. They employed tools like the SSH Brute utility to obtain access credentials, then used these to extract and threaten to publish the stolen data, both in private and public online forums.
The conspirators not only extorted their victims but also sold the pilfered data on cybercrime platforms and utilized it for further fraudulent endeavors. They attempted to extort approximately $1 million from the targeted organizations.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Arrested in December 2024, Wagenius confessed in February 2025 to distributing confidential phone records. By July 2025, he pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and extortion. Along with his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution.
His co-conspirators include Canadian Connor Riley Moucka, alias Judische, and American John Erin Binns. Both were implicated in hacking incidents beyond AT&T and Verizon, involving T-Mobile and a widespread campaign affecting numerous organizations. Moucka entered a guilty plea in August.
Implications and Future Outlook
This case underscores the persistent threat posed by cybercriminals, even those with military backgrounds. It highlights the need for robust security measures and collaboration between organizations and law enforcement to prevent such breaches. The sentencing of Wagenius is a reminder of the severe consequences faced by those engaging in cybercrime.
