An extensive report published by Vice today claims an “insider” of the Apple leaks community was also working as a double agent for the company. The report says he was an active member of the leaks community, “illicitly obtained internal Apple documents and devices” while working as an “informant” for the company.

The leaker, identified as Andrey Shumeyko, was a part of the Apple “internal” community that traded information and leaks and sold stolen prototypes like leaked apps, screenshots, manuals, and others. But, on the other hand, he shared information with Apple about who was selling stolen prototypes, journalists who had relations with leakers and sellers, and “anything that he thought the company would find interesting.”

But why did Shumeyko come clear now? Shumeyko claims that he is sharing this now “because he felt that Apple took advantage of him and should have compensated him for providing the company this information.”

Shumeyko struck a relationship with Apple after he reported about a phishing campaign against Apple Store employees. He altered the employees regarding the campaign that was being brewed against them and in mid-2020 he helped Apple’s Global Security team investigate the whole iOS 14 build leaking before the official launch fiasco.

Shumeyko claims he had found who the leaker of the iOS 14 build was. Shumeyko reportedly stayed in touch with Apple for almost a year after tracking down the iOS 14 leaker, providing more information to Apple. Earlier this year, Apple sent out legal warnings to leakers in China:

Last year, Shumeyko sent Apple investigators a PDF titled “The List,” essentially a dossier where he shared personal details such as phone numbers, WeChat IDs, and alleged locations of three people who advertised and sold devices on Twitter, as well as a U.S. citizen who collects iPhone prototypes. One of the people listed in the PDF is the one who received the legal letter from Apple, Motherboard has learned.

Unfortunately, Shumeyko apparently thought that helping Apple meant Apple would help him (by paying him):

Shumeyko said he was hoping that by helping Apple, the company would help him in return. But that, he said, never happened. And he’s now questioning whether he should have helped in the first place.

What are your thoughts on Vice’s report? Let us know in the comments section below!