Kyell Bryan, Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2024

A Baltimore County man has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $16,000 in cryptocurrency and orchestrating a ‘swat’ attack on his accomplice.

Kyell Bryan, 20, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft in connection with his involvement in a ‘SIM swap’ and cryptocurrency theft scheme.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to his guilty plea, in June 2019, Bryan conspired with others, including co-defendant Jordan K. Milleson, to carry out a scheme to steal cryptocurrency from others. At the beginning of the conspiracy, Bryan knew Milleson only by an online alias and did not know Milleson’s real name.

The scheme to defraud was carried out by fraudulently obtaining the login credentials of wireless service provider or affiliate employees, using the stolen credentials of these employees to access the service providers’ computer networks. Upon accessing the computer networks of the wireless service providers, Bryan and his co-conspirators conducted unauthorized ‘SIM swaps.’

Specifically, in June 2019, Milleson used several phishing websites he created to steal the login credentials of Victim 2, who worked for a specific wireless provider or its affiliate. On June 25, 2019, Bryan and Milleson used Victim 2’s credentials to gain unauthorized access to the wireless provider’s computer network and execute ‘SIM swaps.’

After gaining access to the wireless provider’s network, Milleson and Bryan intentionally used the stolen login credentials to redirect phone and text message traffic intended for a mobile device used by the owner of a digital currency investment company, Victim 3, to a device controlled by them.

After conducting a successful ‘SIM swap’ of Victim 3’s phone account, Bryan and his co-conspirators unlawfully gained access to Victim 3’s online accounts, including their email account, and an account containing digital currency. Bryan then instructed and directed Milleson to transfer Victim 3’s cryptocurrency out of Victim 3’s account. At the time of the transfer, Victim 3’s cryptocurrency was valued at approximately $16,847.47.

Bryan and his co-conspirators then attempted to uncover Milleson’s true identity by messaging other individuals for Milleson’s real name, address, and contact information. During a conversation with a co-conspirator, Bryan learned that Milleson went by the alias of ‘Chikri.’ Later on, Bryan stated that the conspiracy would find Milleson’s identifying information and ‘swat’ him.

Bryan and his co-conspirators then attempted to uncover Milleson’s true identity by messaging other individuals for Milleson’s real name, address, and contact information. During a conversation with a co-conspirator, Bryan learned that Milleson went by the alias of ‘Chikri.’ Later on, Bryan stated that the conspiracy would find Milleson’s identifying information and ‘swat’ him.

Shortly after Bryan asked other individuals for Milleson’s real information and learned that ‘Chikri’ also identifies himself under the alias ‘Jordy,’ the BCPD received a call from an unknown male claiming to have shot his father.

Bryan pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison followed by a term of supervised release of up to one year. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2024.

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