A 25-year-old British citizen has been formally charged in the United States for allegedly leading an international hacking operation that caused millions in damages to individuals, companies, and public institutions.
Authorities in the US claim the man, identified as Kai West, was the person behind an online identity known as "IntelBroker." Between 2022 and 2025, West is accused of breaking into systems of more than 40 organizations and trying to sell sensitive data on underground online forums.
According to court documents, the financial impact of the operation is estimated to be around £18 million. If convicted of the most serious offense—wire fraud—West could face up to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors believe that West worked with a group of 32 other hackers and also used the online alias “Kyle Northern.” While officials didn’t name the specific forum used, various sources suggest that the activity took place on BreachForums, a site often linked to the trade of stolen data.
Investigators say West posted nearly 160 threads offering stolen data for sale, often in exchange for money, digital credits, or even for free. His alleged victims include a healthcare provider, a telecom company, and an internet service provider—all based in the US. While official names were not disclosed in court, separate reports connect the IntelBroker identity to past breaches involving major companies and even government bodies.
One particularly concerning incident tied to the IntelBroker persona occurred in 2023, when a data leak reportedly exposed health and personal information of US lawmakers and their families. This included details such as social security numbers and home addresses.
Officials say they were able to trace West’s identity after an undercover operation led them to one of his cryptocurrency transactions. A $250 Bitcoin payment for stolen data allegedly helped link him to email addresses used in the operation.
West was arrested in France in February and remains in custody there. The United States is now seeking his extradition so he can stand trial.
The US Department of Justice has called this a “global cybercrime operation” and emphasized the scale of damage caused. FBI officials described West’s alleged activity as part of a long-running scheme aimed at profiting from illegally obtained data.
French authorities have also detained four other individuals in their twenties believed to be connected to the same forum, although no further details have been made public.
As of now, there has been no official response or legal representation comment from West’s side.
