A U.S. Army soldier’s shocking betrayal has been uncovered in a massive telecom hacking scheme that targeted high-ranking officials including Donald Trump. Cameron John Wagenius stands accused of selling sensitive information to foreign intelligence services while actively searching for ways to flee to Russia.
At a Glance
- U.S. Army soldier Cameron John Wagenius has pleaded guilty to leaking phone records of high-ranking U.S. officials
- Wagenius, operating under the alias “Kiberphant0m,” demanded $500,000 from AT&T to prevent further data leaks
- Prosecutors found evidence he attempted to sell information to a foreign military intelligence service
- The soldier searched online for “can hacking be treason” and “US military personnel defecting to Russia”
- Wagenius faces up to ten years in prison per count and fines up to $250,000
Soldier Breached National Security
Cameron John Wagenius, a communications specialist stationed in South Korea, was arrested near Fort Cavazos, Texas, in December after being linked to a massive AT&T data breach. The soldier has indicated his intention to plead guilty to unlawfully posting and transferring confidential phone records of high-ranking government officials, including information related to President Donald Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Wagenius didn’t act alone, either. He was part of a hacking group that exploited weak security on Snowflake cloud accounts, targeting over 150 telecommunications providers. The hackers then extorted companies for substantial sums of money to delete stolen records, with AT&T reportedly paying $370,000 to prevent further data exposure. Using the alias “Kiberphant0m,” Wagenius brazenly demanded $500,000 from AT&T while threatening to leak more information.
What makes this case particularly disturbing are the allegations of Wagenius communicating with foreign intelligence services. Prosecutors have uncovered evidence suggesting he attempted to sell hacked information to at least one foreign military intelligence service, raising serious national security concerns beyond the data theft itself.
“While engaged in these criminal activities, Wagenius conducted online searches about how to defect to countries that do not extradite to the United States and that he previously attempted to sell hacked information to at least one foreign intelligence service,” legal documents revealed.
Investigators discovered over 17,000 files of personal identification documents on Wagenius’s laptop, alongside fake identification and large sums of cryptocurrency. His co-conspirators, John Erin Binns and Connor Riley Moucka, have also been charged with related crimes and allegedly extorted at least $2 million from similar breaches.
Flight Risk and Possible Defection
The soldier’s disturbing internet search history has prosecutors fighting to keep him detained. Wagenius reportedly searched for information about “can hacking be treason,” “US military personnel defecting to Russia,” and how to flee to countries without extradition treaties with the United States. These searches paint a picture of someone actively planning to evade justice.
Perhaps most shocking was Wagenius’s confidence that his military status would protect him.
“What’s funny is that if I ever get found out, I can’t get instantly arrested because of military law, which gives me time to go AWOL,” Wagenius reportedly claimed.
Federal prosecutors believe the current charges only scratch the surface of Wagenius’s illicit activities, too.
While currently being processed for discharge from the Army, expected in early March, Wagenius faces up to ten years in prison per count and fines up to $250,000. His release to his father has been contested by prosecutors who fear he poses both a flight risk and danger to the community.
The case highlights the growing threat of insider breaches and the vulnerability of America’s telecommunications infrastructure. The fact that a serving U.S. soldier would allegedly betray his country by stealing sensitive data, extorting American companies, and attempting to sell information to foreign intelligence services represents a profound breach of trust. But it’s sadly all too common these days.
