FBI arrests Canadian in ShinyHunters hack of the bureau’s jobs portal

The identity of the person arrested was not immediately clear, nor what charges they might face. The FBI would provide no more details of the arrest.

RCMP spokesperson Ian Lordon said Friday “the RCMP is aware of the arrest of a Canadian in the U.S. in connection with the ShinyHunters hack,” but directed all further questions to the FBI.

“The RCMP does not comment on investigations being conducted by other countries,” Lordon said.

In a message taking responsibility for the hack and announcing the collection of sensitive information, ShinyHunters said it had taken action over false allegations contained in an FBI public advisory from May that described the organization as a “cyber criminal group specializing in large-scale data breaches and extortion.”

That advisory characterized ShinyHunters as “threat actors” who often “use their real or exaggerated claims of access to sensitive or personal information to prompt payment from victims,” commonly harass or threaten people and “may falsely claim to have sensitive or compromising information, including embarrassing photographs or videos of victims, which frequently do not exist.”

Experts said that although the data that appeared to be compromised was the type of personal information that is routinely accessed during a breach, the hack nonetheless had alarming national security implications given that it could expose agents and their families to extortion, swatting and other harassment and because the identities of spouses were also said to have been obtained.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2026.

-With files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

FBI arrests Canadian in ShinyHunters hack of the bureau’s jobs portal

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