On December 20 of last year, US Army private Cameron John Wagenius, 21, was arrested near Fort Cavazos, Texas, for a telecom cyber attack involving 15 firms, where he stole and sold confidential phone records.
According to court documents, Cameron operated under the aliases “kiberphant0m” and “cyb3rph4nt0m,” resulting in later being arrested for hacking and leaking stolen records on cybercrime platforms. Wagenius demanded a $500,000 ransom to withhold sensitive telecom data.
The US telecom hacked information included geolocation and contact frequency data that presented critical national security concerns.
Ties to Foreign Intelligence
The investigation revealed that Wagenius attempted telecom extortion by contacting a foreign military intelligence service. For two weeks in November 2024, he allegedly negotiated via email, offering exclusive access to the datasets of the telcos hack.
Subsequent searches on his devices included queries about whether “hacking can be treason” and instructions on “defecting to Russia,” with his search history from October 2024 also including:
- “where can i defect the u.s government military which country will not hand me over”
- “Embassy of Russia – Washington, D.C.”
- “how to get passport fast”
In encrypted chats, Wagenius allegedly boasted to a co-conspirator that military jurisdiction would buy him time to “go AWOL” if authorities discovered his activities.
Misconduct Post-Arrest
Following his arrest in December 2024, the Wagenius telecom cyber attack happened by purchasing a new laptop and using VPN software to conceal his online activity. Army investigators seized the device, uncovering evidence of continued data access through cloud storage platforms.
Prosecutors warn he retains “gigabytes of sensitive victim information” not yet recovered by law enforcement, including a cache of 17,000 stolen identity documents such as passports and driver’s licenses.threads.net
The case of hacking telecoms alarmed cybersecurity experts, given Wagenius’ security clearance and military status.
Dr. Elena Torres of the Center for Strategic Cyber Studies said, “When someone with access to military networks starts funneling data to adversarial states, it blurs the line between cybercrime and espionage. The depth of his penetration—and his apparent indifference to operational security—makes this a worst-case scenario.”
Legal Proceedings
Prosecutors cite Wagenius’ technical knowledge and customary disregard for authority as reasons for detention, citing:
- Flight Risk: Management of counterfeit ID materials, possession of cryptocurrency, and sophisticated plans for defection.
- Danger to Community: Ability to exploit sensitive information despite military management.
- Non-Compliance: Disobedience of post-arrest controls within 48 hours of enforcement.
The government has rejected defense proposals for house arrest, stating that Wagenius purchased a laptop during Army monitoring at Fort Cavazos. Officials confirm simultaneous investigations into potential co-conspirators and foreign connections, such as one related to the US military hacking charges case to share with victims.
Wagenius remains in custody, awaiting his plea for the telecom cyber attack, with his case on its own highlighting a growing threat by insider attacks to defense sites and telecom networks’ susceptibility to privileged insiders.
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