Teen charged in Chicago was part of international 'Scattered Spider' hacker group, feds say

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TLDR

  • Peter Stokes, 19, a dual US-Estonian citizen known online as “Bouquet,” was arrested in Finland and faces federal charges as an alleged Scattered Spider member.

Key Facts

  • Stokes was arrested April 10 at Helsinki airport attempting to board a flight to Japan, carrying two 2TB hard drives.
  • A six-count federal complaint filed in Chicago charges him with wire fraud, conspiracy, and computer intrusion dating back to age 16.
  • Prosecutors allege he participated in at least four Scattered Spider hacks, including a May 2025 ransom demand of $8 million against a luxury retailer.
  • Scattered Spider, also known as Octo Tempest, is a transnational cybercriminal group active since 2022 that targets corporate IT help desks via phishing to steal and ransom data.

Why It Matters

  • The arrest adds to a string of Scattered Spider prosecutions; Tyler Buchanan, 24, pleaded guilty last week in a separate California case.
  • Stokes allegedly began hacking at 16, illustrating how young Scattered Spider recruits its members across multiple countries.

Jason Meisner / Chicago Tribune · 2026-04-27 · Read the original

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