US Army soldier indicted for selling confidential phone records

Federal authorities have indicted a U.S. Army soldier, Cameron John Wagenius, on charges of unlawfully transferring confidential phone records, court documents unsealed on Monday reveal. Wagenius, who was arrested on December 20, faces two counts of illegally selling and attempting to sell sensitive information. The indictment was filed in the Western District of Texas in Waco, but prosecutors have since transferred the case to Seattle, where the investigation is being led.

The charges stem from allegations that Wagenius, whose rank and military station remain undisclosed, was involved in unauthorized transactions of confidential data. Cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs reported on his website that Wagenius, operating under the online pseudonym “Kiberphant0m,” claimed responsibility for several high-profile breaches, including call records linked to Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. However, these claims have not been confirmed in court documents.

Colonel Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesperson for the III Armored Corps at Fort Cavazos in Texas, acknowledged Wagenius’ arrest, stating, “III Armored Corps will continue to cooperate with all law enforcement agencies as appropriate.” Further details were referred to the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, which declined to provide additional comments, citing the ongoing investigation.

The prosecution of Wagenius coincides with ongoing investigations into two other individuals, Connor Moucka and John Binns, accused of orchestrating cybercrimes involving extensive breaches of sensitive customer records. Federal prosecutors allege the group targeted billions of records containing non-content call and text histories, financial information, Social Security numbers, and other personal data.

Moucka, 25, was arrested in Canada on October 30 and faces extradition to the U.S., while Binns remains in custody in Turkey for unrelated hacking charges. Both individuals are believed to be connected to the theft and extortion of customer data from Snowflake, a prominent data storage firm.

Allison Nixon, chief research officer at cybersecurity company Unit 221B, identified Wagenius. She stated that her team uncovered his identity after Moucka’s hacking group, of which Wagenius was a member, issued threats. Nixon praised the swift response from law enforcement, describing it as unprecedented in her career.

A Texas magistrate has ordered Wagenius’ transfer to Seattle, where federal prosecutors will pursue the case. As of now, Wagenius’s attorney has not commented, and both the Department of Justice and the FBI have refrained from making public statements.