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An Illinois man has pleaded guilty to federal charges after he admitted to conducting a phishing scheme targeting hundreds of women on Snapchat to steal their intimate photos. Kyle Svara, 26, entered his guilty plea in federal court in Boston on Wednesday, acknowledging his role in hacking Snapchat accounts through social engineering tactics that compromised the privacy of nearly 600 women.
According to prosecutors, Svara carried out the Snapchat phishing scheme between May 2020 and February 2021. He pleaded guilty to charges including computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, with prosecutors agreeing to recommend a three-year prison sentence when he faces sentencing on May 18.
How the Snapchat Hacking Operation Worked
Prosecutors revealed that Svara used sophisticated social engineering techniques to trick women into providing their login credentials. He sent messages to victims claiming to be from Snapchat support and requested their security authentication codes, successfully bypassing the platform’s security measures.
According to charging documents, Svara collected security codes from 571 women through these deceptive messages. He ultimately gained unauthorized access to the accounts of at least 59 women, downloading their nude or semi-nude photographs without consent.
The scope of the operation extended beyond personal use. Prosecutors said Svara actively advertised his hacking services on Reddit and other online forums, offering to breach Snapchat accounts and provide content “for you or trade” to other individuals seeking to exploit women’s private images.
Connection to University Coach Prosecution
The case emerged from an earlier prosecution involving Steve Waithe, a former Northeastern University track-and-field coach. Prosecutors stated that Waithe hired Svara in 2020, paying him $50 to hack the accounts of women he had coached or maintained personal relationships with.
Waithe was sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison for orchestrating schemes to deceive young women into sending him nude photos or stealing such images from their accounts. According to prosecutors at the time, Waithe’s criminal activity affected 56 women across the country, creating a network of digital exploitation that relied on hackers like Svara.
Legal Implications and Victim Impact
The guilty plea represents a significant moment in the case, according to Svara’s attorney Todd Pugh. In a statement, Pugh said his client “has taken full responsibility for his actions to his family and close friends, and today’s plea was a significant relief as it allowed him to finally accept responsibility publicly.”
However, the case highlights ongoing concerns about social media security vulnerabilities and the persistent threat of phishing attacks targeting users of popular platforms. The scheme demonstrates how cybercriminals exploit user trust in platform communications to circumvent even established security protocols like two-factor authentication.
Additionally, the prosecution underscores the serious federal consequences for those who engage in computer fraud and identity theft, particularly when such crimes involve the exploitation of intimate images. The charges against Svara reflect the government’s commitment to pursuing cases involving digital privacy violations and non-consensual image theft.
Svara is scheduled to appear for sentencing on May 18, when a federal judge will determine whether to accept the prosecution’s recommendation of three years in prison. The court has not yet indicated whether additional restitution or other penalties may be imposed as part of the final sentence.
