Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
An Illinois resident has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges related to a scheme that targeted nearly 600 women through phishing attacks on their Snapchat accounts. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kyle Svara, 27, of Oswego, Illinois, admitted to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, computer fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and making false statements regarding child pornography.
The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy. Sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2026.
Authorities said that between May 2020 and February 2021, Svara used social engineering tactics to collect personal information such as emails and phone numbers from victims. He then posed as a representative of Snap Inc., sending messages from anonymized phone numbers to more than 4,500 individuals asking for account security codes. Approximately 570 women provided these codes, which allowed Svara unauthorized access to at least 59 Snapchat accounts where he downloaded nude or semi-nude images.
After obtaining the images without permission, Svara sold or traded them online and offered his hacking services on internet forums like Reddit.
One co-conspirator identified by prosecutors was Steve Waithe, a former Northeastern University Track and Field Coach who hired Svara to hack into Snapchat accounts belonging to women he coached or knew personally. Waithe was convicted in November 2023 of multiple counts including wire fraud and cyberstalking; he received a five-year prison sentence with three years of supervised release in March 2024.
Svara also targeted other women residing near Plainfield, Illinois or attending Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
During an interview with investigators, Svara denied knowledge about hacking Snapchat accounts and any involvement with child sexual abuse material (CSAM). However, authorities stated that evidence showed he collected and distributed CSAM despite his denials.
Members of the public who believe they may be victims or have relevant information are encouraged to contact law enforcement using this form: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/snaphackvictims
The offenses carry potential penalties ranging from two years up to twenty years in prison depending on the charge, along with supervised release terms and fines that can reach $250,000 per count or twice the gross gain/loss involved. Sentences will be determined by federal guidelines and statutes.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley made the announcement along with Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston office. The investigation received support from the FBI’s Chicago office and Oswego Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary is prosecuting the case.
