Dutch Police Arrest Alleged ShinyHunters Leader Over Rockstar Games Hack

Dutch authorities have arrested a man accused of being a leader of the notorious hacking group ShinyHunters, per Kotaku. The FBI claims he was involved in the group's 2025 data breach of Rockstar Games.

The Dutch National Police confirmed the arrest of a 24-year-old Amsterdam man earlier this week, following an investigation into ShinyHunters. Reuters identified the man as Pepijn van der Stap, who works for a cybersecurity firm and had previously claimed to be a reformed hacker.

However, the FBI alleges in a statement that Van der Stap has been a leader within ShinyHunters since 2025. The group is accused of hacking over 100 organizations, including Rockstar Games and Ticketmaster.

The April breach saw ShinyHunters attempt to extort Rockstar before releasing stolen confidential data. That leak revealed internal financial details about GTA Online, showing the game makes over a million dollars daily.

ShinyHunters has denied Van der Stap's involvement, suggesting Dutch police were incompetent. Following the arrest, FBI Cyber Division assistant director Brett Leatherman issued a warning to other group members, urging them to turn themselves in.