adminThe GTA Online revenue leak exposed confidential figures showing that the game generates more than $1 million a day. Dutch police have arrested a 24-year-old Amsterdam man in connection with an investigation into ShinyHunters, the hacking group the FBI says was behind the breach. The suspect has not been convicted in connection with this case, and the allegations remain under investigation.
GTA Online revenue leak investigation and arrest
Dutch National Police confirmed the arrest in a statement on September 28 but did not name the suspect. He was later identified in media reporting as Pepijn van der Stap, an offensive cybersecurity lead at Amsterdam-based Neo Security. Reports say he joined the company this year and has previous convictions for hacking-related offences.
The FBI believes van der Stap has led ShinyHunters since 2025. The group reportedly disputes that claim and has criticized the Dutch police. An arrest and an allegation do not establish guilt; the investigation and any legal proceedings will determine the case’s outcome.
Practical context: The arrest concerns an alleged connection to a wider cybercrime investigation. It does not, by itself, confirm who carried out every intrusion attributed to ShinyHunters.
What the breach revealed about GTA Online
ShinyHunters is linked to intrusions involving more than 100 companies and institutions, including Rockstar, Ticketmaster and the FBI. In April, the group breached Rockstar and attempted to extort the studio, threatening to publish stolen confidential information unless it paid. Rockstar refused, and the group released the data.
The leaked figures indicated that GTA Online brings in more than $1 million per day. This gives readers a sense of the game’s reported daily revenue, but the figure should be understood in the context of the confidential data disclosed in the breach.
Other security and legal issues involving Rockstar
The incident followed a separate August leak of GTA 6 gameplay footage attributed to the hacker group CyberLeek. Take-Two sought information from Microsoft, Discord and Twitter/X through subpoenas as part of efforts to identify those responsible. The two incidents are separate and should not be treated as the same breach.
FBI Cyber Division assistant director Brett Leatherman urged other ShinyHunters members to contact authorities. He warned that arrests and seized infrastructure can help investigators identify people involved, and said that remaining members could face greater exposure as the investigation progresses.
Rockstar is also involved in an employment tribunal with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain. The case concerns the dismissal of 34 staff members last October; the claimants allege the dismissals were retaliation for union activity. That dispute is separate from the hacking investigation.
What to take away from the GTA Online revenue leak
The GTA Online revenue leak revealed a reported daily income of more than $1 million and led to an arrest linked to the investigation into ShinyHunters. The allegations against the arrested man are not a final finding of responsibility, and the group’s claimed role and the separate incidents involving Rockstar remain distinct matters.
