Perth Hacker Jailed for Stealing Intimate Images, Qantas Wi-Fi Hack
A Perth man has been sentenced to seven years and four months in prison for a disturbing pattern of cybercrime, including the theft of intimate images from 17 women and girls and the creation of a fake Qantas Wi-Fi network to steal passenger data. The case, which unfolded over six years, highlights the growing threat of sophisticated hacking and the devastating impact of online privacy violations.
A suspicious Wi-Fi network mimicking a legitimate Qantas customer portal was first detected on a domestic flight in April 2024, triggering an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). This discovery ultimately unraveled a far more extensive criminal enterprise orchestrated by 44-year-old Michael Clapsis.
“Evil Twin” Network and Data Theft
The AFP identified Clapsis as the perpetrator behind the “evil twin” Wi-Fi network, a technique used to intercept unsuspecting users’ credentials. He utilized a modified Wi-Fi Pineapple nano device to divert passengers from the genuine Qantas free Wi-Fi link to his fraudulent service, enabling him to collect passwords and sensitive data.
[Image of Clapsis diverting passengers from the Qantas free wifi link to his fake service. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)]
However, the Wi-Fi hack was only one facet of Clapsis’s criminal activity. The investigation revealed a years-long campaign of stealing and copying over 700 photos and videos from the personal online accounts of numerous women and girls, including a 17-year-old. Many of the stolen materials contained nudity, intimate depictions, and sexual activity.
Systemic Offending and Victim Impact
Clapsis began accessing or attempting to access the online accounts of his victims as early as 2015. He knew some of the women personally, and one victim was a serving police officer. Despite his attempts to remotely wipe his phone and delete 1,752 items – the majority of which were intimate images – from his laptop following his arrest at Perth airport in April 2024, investigators were able to recover the data. He also illicitly accessed his employer’s laptop to monitor confidential meetings between his company and the AFP concerning the investigation.
During the sentencing hearing in the District Court of Perth, the prosecutor shared statements from several victims. One woman stated that Clapsis “severely invaded my privacy without consent,” while another expressed feeling “exposed and unsafe.”
District Court Judge Darren Renton condemned Clapsis’s actions as “systemic” offending, emphasizing the multiple victims and the profound emotional harm inflicted. “Your crimes had multiple victims,” he stated. The judge also acknowledged the potential damage to Qantas’s brand reputation.
Defense Arguments and Sentencing
Clapsis’s lawyer, Anthony Eyers, argued that his client suffered from autism spectrum disorder and was motivated by “sexual voyeurism,” claiming the intimate images were not disseminated further. Eyers also noted that Clapsis lost his job in April 2024 and had been attempting to find work as an “odd-job man.”
Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Renton imposed a sentence of seven years and four months, with parole eligibility in 2030. The severity of the sentence reflects the gravity of the offenses and the lasting trauma experienced by the victims.