SkyECC “hack” had an inside man working with the DEA

(Herdmann, left, Eap, right)

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had a mole embedded at the top of Sky Global, a company founded by Jean-François Eap that sold encrypted phones through its Sky ECC service. Documents from the U.S. justice system, inspected by Crime Wire, reveal that this informant played a key role in unraveling the network’s operations. Despite the ongoing international investigation into Sky ECC, Jean-François Eap, the mastermind behind the company, remains a free man in Vancouver, where he owns multiple Rogers Wireless stores and at least one restaurant. This odd juxtaposition between his business ventures and the global pursuit of justice raises compelling questions about his role in the case.

Sky ECC, founded in 2008, provided encrypted communication services to tens of thousands of users, including criminals. The app was marketed as highly secure, attracting a user base of 70,000 to 120,000 people globally, many of whom were later implicated in serious criminal activities, including drug trafficking and murder. The Dutch police hacked Sky ECC’s servers in Roubaix, France, and their efforts, alongside investigations in Belgium and France, led to hundreds of convictions worldwide.

In the midst of these international operations, a new twist surfaced when a leaked police report identified a 26-year-old Dutchman as one of the largest distributors of Sky ECC phones in Europe. According to the report obtained by Crime Wire, this individual operated multiple businesses to launder proceeds from the sale of encrypted phones, amassing at least €500,000. The Dutchman’s clientele included high-profile European criminal groups, such as former Satudarah motorcycle club members, and he reportedly sold Sky ECC devices to over 10,000 customers across Europe.

This Dutchman was the focus of investigation “26Werl,” the precursor to the larger “26Argus” case, which culminated in the 2021 hack of Sky ECC. The 26Werl investigation outlined the broader contours of Sky’s operations in Europe, including the involvement of Jean-François Eap. Yet, despite the damning evidence, it remains unclear whether this Dutch distributor was ever prosecuted or even held in pre-trial detention.

The 13Yucca investigation, led by the Amsterdam police, concentrated on Sky phones and the anticipated hack of Sky ECC, which Dutch specialists were already developing. The “Deployment plan 13Werl for the hack operation of Sky in France,” leaked earlier this year, originated from the 13Yucca investigation.

Sky111

As for Sky111, Crime Wire previously reported on rumors circulating in a French court that a Dutchman, using the alias Sky111, was allegedly employed by the Dutch police as a criminal civilian infiltrator. This individual is believed to have sold Sky phones from Antwerp.

International coordination was crucial to dismantling Sky ECC’s operations, with documents showing that the FBI shared information with Dutch authorities as early as 2018—well before the publicized police hack. The U.S. worked in conjunction with the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to execute a plan that spanned continents. According to a confidential source, the network relied on multiple informants, particularly those involved in the distribution of encrypted phones in Europe.

Adding another layer of intrigue is the ongoing suspicion that Eap himself may have cooperated with authorities. Despite his prominent role, Eap has not faced extradition to the U.S., France, or the Netherlands. French lawyers defending Thomas Herdman, another key figure arrested in the investigation, have suggested that Eap may have been a DEA informant, secretly providing encryption keys or other critical information to the authorities.

The controversial nature of this case is further underscored by Herdman’s continued detention in France. His lawyers argue that there is insufficient evidence against him and that he has been used as a scapegoat to justify the international hack of Sky ECC. Herdman is the only suspect in custody, while the rest of the Canadian defendants remain free, protected from extradition by Canadian law.

This international saga, which many have likened to a Netflix series, demonstrates the lengths to which authorities will go to uncover encrypted communication networks used by criminals. In an earlier report from De Morgen, a Belgian police officer recalled sitting with officials from across the globe in Sydney in 2018 to coordinate the takedown of Sky ECC. They spoke of their investigation as if casting actors in a drama—a fitting metaphor for a case filled with secrecy, intrigue, and unresolved questions.

At the center of it all is Jean-François Eap, still conducting business in Vancouver, raising the question: Has he evaded justice, or has he made a deal with the authorities? The possibility that Eap worked as a “confidential source” remains a looming mystery. Dutch lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz has consistently pushed for answers from the Public Prosecution Service, challenging their narrative and questioning why vital information about the U.S. and Canadian involvement in the case has been withheld from Dutch courts.

As more details about the Sky ECC investigation surface, it becomes clear that the full extent of international cooperation and hidden agendas may never be fully known. What is certain, however, is that the fallout from this case continues to resonate globally, and the story is far from over.