'A Screwed-Up High School Reunion': Plainfield Victim Of Snapchat Sex Hack Scheme Speaks Out

PLAINFIELD, IL — A 26-year-old Oswego resident was charged in federal court earlier in January in connection with a phishing scheme that acquired the Snapchat access codes of nearly 600 women in an effort to steal nude photos that he kept, sold or traded online, the U.S. Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts alleged.

It's been "sort of a screwed-up high school reunion" for many, said one victim, who shared her story with Patch but requested to remain anonymous out of precaution for her career and family.

The woman, who grew up in Plainfield, found out as the majority of the other victims did — they received an email Jan. 5 from the Department of Justice informing them they were victims of Kyle Svara's "Snaphack" scheme.

"Most of the victims are people that I knew from high school, or at least that's how I've perceived it, because we were all friends with his sister in high school," she said, adding that she has not spoken to Svara in about 10 years. "It's sort of like he victimized all of the women that his sister has ever come in contact with throughout her life."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, from at least May 2020 to February 2021, Svara collected victims' emails, phone numbers and Snapchat usernames to send account security codes to victims by posing as a Snap Inc. representative and using anonymized phone numbers, the justice department said. He texted more than 4,500 victims to request their Snapchat access codes, and about 570 women provided them. He then accessed at least 59 women's accounts to download nude or semi-nude photos, according to investigators.

Svara was charged with aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, computer fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and false statements related to child pornography as a result.

"I thought I would know if I was a victim of something," the woman told Patch.

She said an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation called and emailed her last summer, but she didn't respond, explaining, "I thought it was a scam because why would the FBI be reaching out to me? ... I have a healthy amount of skepticism."

The day after receiving the trust-shattering email from the DOJ, the woman said she and about 50 other victims, many of whom are in their late 20s, joined a Microsoft Teams meeting with the FBI to learn about the scope of Snaphack. While many wondered what photos of theirs were stolen, the woman said the FBI didn't know to what extent each person had been victimized.

"I know that I am a victim because they say I am, but I don't recall being hacked, and I don't know what photos there might be of me or where they might be," she said.

She added further: "The photos that I had were kept in a private folder for myself. I feel very violated by all this because it's not even something I had shared with partners or friends. ... It was for exactly what the folder is: 'My Eyes Only.'"

Women weren't the only victims. Svara hacked some men's accounts to steal nude pictures they had saved of their girlfriends, according to Patch's source.

Svara's victims also extended beyond Plainfield. They included students who attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and Northeastern University in Boston.

A former Northeastern University track and field coach, Steve Waithe, was named as one of Svara's co-conspirators in the case. Prosecutors alleged Waithe hired and paid Svara to hack the Snapchat accounts of women he coached or had other relationships with. The ex-coach was convicted in federal court in November 2023 of four cyberstalking and wire fraud-related charges that led to a five-year prison sentence and three years of supervised release.

What's ahead for Svara

Svara is due to appear in court again on Feb. 4, when he will plead guilty to all charges, according to an email the Department of Justice sent to victims. He will be sentenced about three months later.

To the Plainfield woman, the "most disturbing part about the whole thing is not actually what happened; it's the fact that he is a free man right now." Citing information shared by investigators, she said Svara won't be taken into custody until he voluntarily surrenders at his next court date.

According to the DOJ's news release, Svara faces a sentence of at least two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, up to 20 years for wire fraud, up to eight years for a child pornography offense, and up to five years for computer fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud, authorities said. Each charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and between one and three years of mandatory supervised release.

Patch's source said investigators told the victims Svara will take a plea deal that would result in a minimum sentence of two years or up to five years in prison.

"That's ... a very low consequence to face for how broad the scope that the crime is," the victim said.

Investigators are encouraging anyone who believes they could have been a victim of the Snaphack case or has relevant information to fill out an FBI form to be contacted by law enforcement.

"I'd like him to know how this is impacting us," the Plainfield woman said. "... He's just probably living his life, and we're over here struggling with this information."