BreachForums is Offline: A New Twist or Just Another Cyber Shenanigan?

[Update] April 18, 2025: “FBI Seizure Claims and Admin Disappearances”

BreachForums, a hacker forum, has been taken offline again. Early Tuesday morning (ET), claims emerged on Telegram that a group identifying as the Dark Storm Team was responsible for a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack against the site. However, multiple signals and the nature of “hacktivist” groups indicate that these claims should be cautiously approached.

A History of Seizures and Reboots

BreachForums has earned notoriety as a hub for illicit trading of stolen personal data—a role that has repeatedly drawn the attention of law enforcement. Its legacy includes several dramatic episodes:

• March 2023: The arrest of BreachForums’ founder, known by the alias Pompompurin (Conor Brian Fitzpatrick), led to its initial FBI seizure.
• Subsequent Revivals and Takedowns: Despite attempts to resurrect the platform—first by a second-in-command and later by self-proclaimed operators like Shiny Hunters and rival personas like USDoD—the site has repeatedly been shut down by authorities but has come back.

SOCRadar’s article “BreachForums Seized Once Again – What Is Next?” provides insights into the platform’s volatile trajectory and history.

Unconfirmed Claims: The Dark Storm Team and IntelBroker

The latest rumor centers on the assertion made on a Telegram channel that the platform has been attacked by a group calling itself the Dark Storm Team.

A link on the channel allegedly demonstrated that the site was down in more than two dozen countries.

Dark Storm’s Unverified Claim

There is no consensus or confirmation from multiple independent sources validating Dark Storm’s involvement. Many experts have warned that such claims might be part of a broader narrative intended to confuse or manipulate the cybercrime community.

Was IntelBroker Arrested?

Similarly, reports about the arrest of IntelBroker—a key figure associated with BreachForums—are uncorroborated at this time.

For further context on IntelBroker’s profile and the emerging narratives, see SOCRadar’s analysis of IntelBroker.

What’s Really Happening?

Whether the latest disruption is real or just another case of cyber smoke and mirrors, one thing is clear: forums like BreachForums are far from stable ground. Repeated seizures and rebrands show a pattern—one where the underground scene may either continue splintering or regroup under new names we haven’t heard of yet.

As for claims like those from “Dark Storm”? It’s best to stay skeptical. These kinds of posts often serve more to stir the pot than offer anything concrete — and, in some cases, to promote their own services. Dark Storm, for example, sells a DDoS tool, so these claims may also double as marketing stunts.

Meanwhile, the former face of BreachForums—Conor Brian Fitzpatrick (aka Pompompurin)—was back in the legal spotlight. After receiving just 17 days of jail time and a long probation, an appeals court threw out the sentence, calling it far too lenient.

This isn’t directly related to the current forum takedown rumors, but it’s a reminder: law enforcement and the justice system haven’t forgotten about BreachForums. Fitzpatrick’s case still casts a long shadow over the cybercrime forum.

What Can We Conclude?

The latest BreachForums outage follows a pattern of recurring disruptions. Whether it’s a genuine attack, a law enforcement action, or simply another unverified claim, the fact remains that these hacker forums are inherently unreliable. Many claims—like those from “Dark Storm”—appear designed more to promote services, such as their DDoS tools, rather than to report actual events.

Due to the high level of misinformation circulating, we have skipped over some of these claims. We will continue to monitor the situation and update our coverage as verified information becomes available.

To navigate this complex landscape, advanced Dark Web Monitoring by SOCRadar is essential. This solution provides real-time visibility into underground forums and channels, helping organizations filter out the noise and focus on actionable threat intelligence.

FBI Seizure Claims and Admin Disappearances

As of April 18, 2025, rumors have resurfaced that BreachForums may once again have been seized by the FBI. Multiple sources suggest suspicious developments, including HELLCAT ransomware affiliate “Rey” on X and posts from the forum’s Telegram channel.

Rey stated that on April 15, the site went offline without notice and that administrator “Anastasia’s” Telegram handle was taken over and redirected to an FBI-controlled IC3 channel. Around the same time, moderator “ShinyHunter” allegedly removed staff from the internal group and deleted his Telegram account, while another moderator, “Hollow,” stopped responding and changed his visibility settings. These moves, combined with activity seen on the supposed FBI_BreachForums Telegram channel, have fueled speculation that another coordinated law enforcement action has taken place.