Federal prosecutors charged Kyle Svara with phishing Snapchat security codes from roughly 4,500 people and accessing at least 59 accounts to steal nude or intimate images. Authorities allege he kept, sold, or traded the images; the FBI is seeking additional victims as the probe continues.

Federal prosecutors in the District of Massachusetts charged Illinois resident Kyle Svara in a wide-ranging Snapchat hacking investigation that allegedly used phishing tactics to obtain authentication codes from approximately 4,500 people and access dozens of accounts. According to a Jan. 7, 2026 U.S. Department of Justice complaint, roughly 570 individuals provided codes during the scheme and at least 59 accounts were accessed, enabling the theft of nude or intimate images. Prosecutors allege Svara retained, sold, or traded the stolen images and engaged in sextortion and related misconduct; the complaint details how unauthorized access and subsequent distribution amplified victims’ harm. Investigators said the scheme combined social-engineering phishing of security codes with account takeovers, and they are urging potentially affected users to come forward as the FBI seeks additional victims. The charges highlight continuing law-enforcement focus on credential-phishing and platform-specific security vulnerabilities that enable large-scale privacy invasions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized cooperation with tech platforms, and that efforts will target both perpetrators and marketplaces that monetize stolen intimate content.