Hacker Linked to ShinyHunters Arrested in Netherlands, Suspected of Plotting Murder-for-Hire
Dutch police have arrested a member of the ShinyHunters hacker group, suspected of planning a murder-for-hire scheme abroad. Evidence of the plot was reportedly found on his laptop.
Dutch police arrested an individual associated with the ShinyHunters hacker group this past Tuesday. The individual is under investigation for allegedly planning a murder-for-hire scheme overseas.
Authorities reported discovering details of a murder plot on the suspect's laptop. The 24-year-old man is now being investigated to determine if the planned murder was carried out.
While the man's identity has not been officially released by Dutch authorities, his former employer, Amsterdam-based cybersecurity firm Neo Security, identified him as Pepijn van der Stap. ShinyHunters has been identified as one of the most active cybercrime syndicates in recent years.
In June 2026, the group exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Oracle PeopleSoft, targeting over 100 organizations, approximately two-thirds of which were universities. Previously, the group has been linked to attacks against entities such as Rockstar Games, the Canvas education platform, and healthcare supplier McKesson.