Brett Johnson

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Biography

Once one of the most notorious cybercriminals in the world, Brett Johnson has been a central figure in the cybercrime landscape for over two decades. Dubbed “The Original Internet Godfather” by the United States Secret Service, Johnson was the architect and leader of ShadowCrew, a groundbreaking cybercriminal forum that laid the foundation for today’s darknet markets.

Johnson played a pivotal role in pioneering numerous forms of online fraud, including modern identity theft, account takeover fraud, card-not-present fraud, IRS tax scams, and a wide array of social engineering tactics and hacking operations.

After his initial capture, Johnson was hired by the U.S. Secret Service as a consultant and informant. However, he soon resumed criminal activity, embarking on a cross-country crime spree that led to his placement on the U.S. Most Wanted list. He was eventually apprehended, imprisoned, escaped custody, and was re-captured. It was only after this final arrest that Johnson took full responsibility for his actions.

Today, Brett Johnson has reinvented himself as a cybersecurity consultant and public speaker, leveraging his unique insights to help organizations combat the very crimes he once helped invent. Recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on cybercrime and identity theft, Johnson has shared his expertise globally, delivering keynotes at over 30 major conferences.

He has been featured in Kevin Poulsen’s book Kingpin and has appeared in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, NBC, CNN Money, Wired, Vice, RT TV, Ars Technica, and The Independent, among others.