Is BreachForums Dead Again? Russian Hacker Forum Post Sparks FBI Honeypot Rumors

The notorious data leak marketplace BreachForums is offline once again — but this time, it might not be a routine outage or a technical hiccup. A document recently leaked on a closed Russian cybercrime forum claims that BreachForums has been under covert FBI control since mid-March, operated as a digital honeypot under a classified initiative known as Operation Spectral Tango.

While the document’s authenticity remains unverified, the timing of the leak — just days before the forum's domain began serving a 502 Bad Gateway error — has triggered a wave of speculation across both threat intelligence circles and underground communities. This may signal either a silent law enforcement operation or the collapse of trust within the cybercrime ecosystem.

A History of Surveillance and Seizures

BreachForums emerged in early 2022 following the coordinated takedown of RaidForums, a once-dominant hacking and data trade platform known for hosting stolen databases, doxxing tools, and access credentials. RaidForums was seized during Operation TOURNIQUET, a joint law enforcement action involving the FBI, Europol, and partners from the UK, Germany, and Sweden. The site’s administrator and several associates were arrested, and the infrastructure was permanently taken offline.

Shortly after, BreachForums was launched and quickly filled the vacuum. Initially operated by the alias pompompurin, the site gained traction by offering access to breached databases and other illicit tools. However, by March 2023, U.S. authorities arrested the alleged operator. Many within the cybercrime community suspected that this would mark another shutdown — but instead, the forum was revived under new leadership.

Since then, persistent rumors have circulated suggesting law enforcement infiltration. These suspicions are not without precedent, echoing tactics seen in Operation Trojan Shield, Hansa Market, and EncroChat — all examples of criminal ecosystems being silently co-opted by law enforcement to gather intelligence.

The Alleged FBI Leak: What the Document Claims

The leaked document — appearing in the form of a three-page internal memorandum styled as an official communication from the FBI’s Cyber Operations Division — claims to describe the core objectives and execution strategy of Operation Spectral Tango. Key points include:

• Full backend access to BreachForums achieved on March 15, 2025, via undisclosed remote access exploits classified under NSA/CYBERCOM directive
• Administrator-level credentials were obtained, enabling persistent control over the platform’s operations.
• The forum was reactivated under covert FBI management on March 19, turning it into a controlled honeypot for intelligence collection.

According to the document, the FBI and allied intelligence services used the site to:

• Deanonymize 128 IP addresses linked to forum accounts.
• Flag 23 high-value threat actor profiles for ongoing surveillance.
• Intercept zero-day malware samples before deployment.
• Process private messages using NLP-based triage systems for threat scoring and profiling.
• Mirror all login metadata to Quantico's CYBERNET-X enclave.

Additionally, the memo states that DNS-level manipulation routed all traffic through FBI-controlled virtual private servers, allowing comprehensive traffic analysis and data capture.

No Confirmation, No Denial — And Now, Silence

At present, there is no official confirmation from law enforcement agencies regarding the legitimacy of the leaked document. Yet the absence of communication from BreachForums administrators — normally quick to issue mirror links or status updates during outages — adds weight to growing suspicions.

Unlike previous takedowns of darknet forums or carding shops, there is no seizure banner replacing the site, and no arrests have been publicly announced. Instead, the forum simply went dark, returning a generic gateway error. Whether this is the result of operational compromise, internal collapse, or a strategic takedown remains unknown.

Anatomy of a Modern Cyber Sting

If the document is genuine, Operation Spectral Tango may represent one of the most advanced U.S.-led cyber counterintelligence efforts in recent history. The blueprint appears to follow an evolving playbook seen in:

• Hansa Market (2017), where Dutch police ran the site covertly for weeks, collecting data before executing arrests.
• EncroChat (2020), where law enforcement monitored encrypted phones in real time before dismantling large criminal networks.
• Genesis Market (2023), which was abruptly seized in a coordinated global operation after years of passive monitoring.

The alleged document suggests a multi-agency, multi-national effort involving the FBI, NSA, CIA digital task units, and UK-based cybercrime units. The aim: to lure, monitor, and ultimately dismantle digital organized crime through a seamless blend of surveillance and social engineering.

Implications for the Cyber Underground

If confirmed, the implications are severe. BreachForums’ collapse — following a potential months-long sting — would erode trust in centralized platforms and push threat actors toward more decentralized, encrypted, or invite-only spaces. Forums and marketplaces might see reduced activity, increased compartmentalization, and a renewed focus on OPSEC.

The leaked memo’s references to deanonymization, metadata capture, and NLP analysis also suggest that individuals who interacted with the platform — even passively — may now be under surveillance or at risk of exposure.

What We’re Watching

Leakd.com continues to monitor for:

• New hosting locations or mirror domains for BreachForums.
• DNS logs indicating rerouting or sinkhole behavior by law enforcement-controlled infrastructure.
• Underground chatter regarding arrests, account compromise, or further leaks.