An Oswego, Illinois man recently pleaded guilty to a disturbing scheme: phishing Snapchat access codes from nearly 600 women to steal their private nude photos. The case highlights the very real dangers lurking behind seemingly innocuous social media interactions, and how easily trust can be exploited for malicious purposes.
Kyle Svara, 27, entered his guilty plea on Feb. 4 in federal court in Boston to charges including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, computer fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and false statements related to child pornography, according to authorities. His sentencing is scheduled for May 18.
Svara was initially charged in December 2025, but the investigation revealed a pattern of activity stretching from at least May 2020 to February 2021. He reportedly used deceptive tactics – social engineering – to gather victims’ emails, phone numbers, and Snapchat usernames.
How Did the Scam Work?
Posing as a representative of Snap Inc., Svara texted over 4,500 individuals requesting their Snapchat access codes. Approximately 570 women complied, unwittingly granting Svara access to their accounts. He then accessed the Snapchat accounts of at least 59 women without their permission and downloaded their nude or semi-nude images.
The stolen images weren’t kept private. Svara sold or traded them on internet forums and to individuals who specifically requested he hack Snapchat accounts.
This wasn’t a solo operation. Steve Waithe, a former track and field coach at Northeastern University in Boston, actively hired and paid Svara to hack the Snapchat accounts of women he coached or had relationships with.
Waithe was convicted in November 2023 of 12 counts of wire fraud, one count of cyberstalking, one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and one count of computer fraud, aiding and abetting. He received a five-year prison sentence in March 2024.
Authorities say Svara’s targets weren’t limited to those connected to Waithe. He also focused on women residing in or around Plainfield, Illinois, and students at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
