What the Hack? Episode 233: How Brett Johnson Made $160,000 a Week
Jan 6, 2026
Brett Johnson, a former cybercriminal and now a security consultant, delves into his fascinating journey from the criminal underworld to a speaker on cybercrime awareness. He discusses the mechanics of identity theft and how emotions rather than logic often lead people to fall victim to scams. Brett also covers the pivotal moments of his life, including his role in founding ShadowCrew and the innovative techniques he developed for fraud. His insights on public data as a criminal tool and tips for personal defense are both eye-opening and practical.
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Shadow Crew And Hidden Cash
- Brett Johnson recounts running Shadow Crew and evading early arrests while building major cybercrime tools.
- He describes stuffing $150,000 in 20s into backpacks and hiding cash in a spare bedroom.
Informant Inside Secret Service Offices
- Brett describes being arrested, interrogated, and then run as an informant inside Secret Service offices.
- He says he continued committing crime from their computers and watched agents capture his activity on DVDs.
Public Records Power Large-Scale ID Fraud
- Brett explains using public registries to assemble identities and file fraudulent tax returns at scale.
- He says converting death-index records into prepaid-card refunds is why many tax refunds are delayed today.