Top 10 Most Wanted Cybercriminals in 2026

Cybercrime has evolved from isolated hacking incidents to a global industry threatening national security, financial systems, and personal privacy. In 2026, the stakes are higher than ever, with state-sponsored hacking groups and sophisticated ransomware cartels causing billions in damages.

Law enforcement agencies worldwide, led by the FBI and Interpol, are in a constant race to apprehend the masterminds behind these digital attacks. This list highlights ten of the most dangerous and notoriously elusive cybercriminals currently sought by federal authorities. These individuals are accused of crimes ranging from crippling critical infrastructure to stealing millions from unsuspecting victims.

List of Top 10 Most Wanted Cybercriminals

10. Ahmad Fathi - Iranian DDoS Attacks

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Commit Computer Intrusion
Reward: Information Seeking
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Ahmad Fathi is wanted for his alleged role as the director of the ITSecTeam, an Iranian IT company. He is accused of orchestrating a coordinated campaign of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against the U.S. financial sector between 2011 and 2013. These attacks targeted dozens of U.S. banks and caused millions of dollars in remediation costs. Fathi's operation highlights the growing threat of state-aligned cyber actors targeting critical economic infrastructure.

9. Ahmed Al Agha - Syrian Electronic Army

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Commit Computer Intrusion, ID Theft
Reward: Up to $100,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Ahmed Al Agha, known online as "Th3 Pr0," is a suspected member of the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA). The SEA is a hacking group aligned with the Syrian regime, known for high-profile defacements and hijacking of media outlets' social media accounts. Al Agha is wanted for his alleged involvement in spearfishing campaigns that compromised U.S. government and media organizations creating chaos and spreading disinformation.

8. Firas Dardar - The Shadow of the SEA

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Commit Computer Intrusion, Extortion
Reward: Up to $100,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Firas Dardar, who operated under the alias "The Shadow," is another key figure in the Syrian Electronic Army. Unlike some of his ideologically driven counterparts, Dardar is also accused of using his hacking skills for personal profit through extortion schemes. He allegedly hacked into private computers and demanded payments to restore access, blending political hacktivism with common cybercriminal extortion.

7. Shaileshkumar P. Jain - The $100 Million Scareware Scheme

Wanted For: Wire Fraud, Computer Fraud
Reward: Seeking Information
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Shaileshkumar P. Jain is wanted for his alleged involvement in a massive international "scareware" scheme. Along with his co-conspirator, he reportedly duped internet users in over 60 countries into buying fake antivirus software. The scheme, which operated through a company called Innovative Marketing, Inc., generated over $100 million in illicit proceeds by convincing victims their computers were infected with non-existent viruses.

6. Bjorn Daniel Sundin - Partner in Fake Antivirus Fraud

Wanted For: Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud
Reward: Up to $20,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Bjorn Daniel Sundin is the alleged accomplice of Shaileshkumar P. Jain in the scareware operation. As a key executive at Innovative Marketing, Inc., Sundin helped facilitate the distribution of browser-hijacking advertisements that terrified users into purchasing useless software products. Despite being indicted years ago, he remains a fugitive, illustrating the challenges of cross-border cybercrime prosecution.

5. Alexsey Belan - The E-Commerce Hacker

Wanted For: Computer Intrusion, Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud
Reward: Up to $100,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Alexsey Belan is a notorious Russian hacker accused of breaching the networks of three major U.S. e-commerce companies. He is alleged to have stolen user databases containing millions of accounts and passwords, which he then sold on the dark web. Belan is also linked to the massive 2014 Yahoo data breach, where he reportedly worked with Russian intelligence officers to access hundreds of millions of user accounts.

4. Amin Timovich Stigal - The WhisperGate Saboteur

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Commit Computer Intrusion and Destruction
Reward: Up to $10,000,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Amin Timovich Stigal is a Russian national charged with conspiring to destroy computer systems and data. He is accused of working with Russian military intelligence (GRU) to deploy "WhisperGate" malware against Ukrainian government systems in 2022. This destructive wiper malware masqueraded as ransomware but was designed purely to destroy data, serving as a prelude to the wider physical conflict. The massive $10 million reward reflects the severity of these state-sponsored destructive acts.

3. Park Jin Hyok - North Korean State Hacker

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Computer Fraud
Reward: Up to $10,000,000 (Rewards for Justice)
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Park Jin Hyok is a computer programmer alleged to be a member of the "Lazarus Group," a hacking organization sponsored by the North Korean government. He is linked to some of the most infamous cyberattacks in history, including the 2014 Sony Pictures hack, the 2016 heist of $81 million from the Central Bank of Bangladesh, and the global WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017. His activities blur the line between criminal enterprise and state warfare.

2. Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev - The Zeus Mastermind

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Participate in Racketeering Activity, Bank Fraud
Reward: Up to $3,000,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Evgeniy Bogachev, known online as "slavik," is the alleged leader of a gang of cybercriminals behind the "GameOver Zeus" botnet. This malware infected over a million computers globally, stealing banking credentials and facilitating the theft of more than $100 million. Bogachev is considered one of the most sophisticated cybercriminals in history, operating a decentralized network that was leased out to other criminals for targeted attacks.

1. Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev - The Ransomware Affiliate

Wanted For: Conspiracy to Transmit Ransom Demands, Damage Protected Computers
Reward: Up to $10,000,000
Source: FBI Cyber's Most Wanted

Topping the list of modern cyber threats is Mikhail Matveev, also known as "Wazawaka." He is a prolific ransomware affiliate linked to the LockBit, Babuk, and Hive ransomware variants. Matveev is accused of launching attacks against critical infrastructure, including police departments and hospitals in the United States. His brazen public persona and deep involvement in the ransomware-as-a-service ecosystem make him a primary target for U.S. authorities.

Summary of Most Wanted Cybercriminals

Conclusion

The individuals on this list represent the darker side of the digital age. Their capabilities to disrupt governments, steal fortunes, and destroy data make them significant threats to global stability. The substantial rewards offered for their capture underscore the priority law enforcement places on bringing them to justice.

As technology continues to advance, so too do the methods of these cybercriminals. Staying informed and practicing strong cybersecurity hygiene is essential for individuals and organizations alike to protect themselves from becoming the next victim of these digital fugitives.

If you are interested in other types of high-profile fugitives, check out our list of the Top 10 FBI Most Wanted Fugitives. For a look at the syndicates behind these attacks, see our list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Hacker Groups.