Dutch authorities have arrested 24-year-old Pepijn van der Stap, who is suspected of belonging to the ShinyHunters hacking collective, on charges ranging from high-level cybercrime to the solicitation of murder. While the investigation was initially focused on the group’s recent breach of government servers, a Rotterdam court revealed on September 29, 2026, that evidence found on the suspect’s laptop suggests a separate plot to orchestrate two killings abroad.
Van der Stap was apprehended in Amsterdam on September 15. During a court appearance today, a judge ordered he be held for an additional 90 days as the dual-track investigation continues. Dutch National Police suspect Van der Stap of belonging to ShinyHunters.
Evidence of Violent Solicitation
The discovery of the alleged murder plot has added a layer of physical threat to an investigation typically confined to digital theft. According to the NL Times, Dutch authorities are treating the murder solicitation as a distinct legal matter from the hacking charges. Details regarding the identities of the two targets or their location have not been released, and it remains unclear if the motive was related to Van der Stap’s cybercriminal activities or personal disputes.
Investigators uncovered the communication regarding the hits during a forensic analysis of Van der Stap’s personal hardware. This development follows a period where the suspect appeared to have transitioned into a legitimate career in cybersecurity. At the time of his arrest, Van der Stap was employed as the “Offensive Security Lead” at Neo Security, an Amsterdam-based firm. This professional role existed alongside a criminal record; in 2023, he was convicted of hacking, blackmail, and money laundering.
The ShinyHunters Connection and FBI Breach
The arrest comes amid an aggressive push by international law enforcement to dismantle ShinyHunters, a group the FBI claims has extorted at least $70 million from 140 different organizations globally. The group’s activities reached a new peak in September 2026 when they claimed to have exfiltrated 2TB of sensitive personnel data from FBI servers.
ShinyHunters has historically targeted major corporations, including high-profile retailers and technology firms, often leaking databases on dark web forums when ransom demands are not met.
While the cybercrime investigation focuses on the massive theft of government and corporate data, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service is expected to provide further updates on the murder solicitation charges as the 90-day detention period progresses. For now, Van der Stap remains in custody without the possibility of bail, pending the results of the ongoing forensic and international inquiries.
