A 15-year-old suspect, known online as breach3d, was arrested in France on April 25 in connection with the massive ANTS data breach that exposed millions of records from the national ID and passport system.

Paris prosecutors detained the teenager the same day and questioned him about the incident and the sale of stolen data on hacker forums, with the case potentially carrying up to seven years in prison and substantial fines.

The investigation centers on unauthorized access to state systems and large-scale data theft tied to ANTS, which stores IDs, passports, driving licenses, and related personal data.

ANTS warned millions of citizens to be vigilant against phishing and fraudulent contacts, while not disclosing technical details and outlining security measures after detecting unusual network activity in mid-April.

The suspect was formally indicted and placed under judicial supervision following procedures overseen by Paris prosecutors, with custody and subsequent examinations carried out by investigative judges.

Authorities confirm that the compromised data turned up for sale on cybercrime forums, with some records including names, birth dates, email addresses, and login details, and even postal addresses and phone numbers in certain cases.

Investigators say between 12 million and 18 million records were offered for sale, and that the data’s authenticity has been verified by ANTS.

Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the charges include multiple breaches of a computer system handling personal data, carrying possible penalties up to seven years in prison and a €300,000 fine.

The incident has intensified concerns in France about centralizing sensitive personal data in government databases and the risks to citizens who rely on ANTS for identity verification and service access.

Authorities believe a data leak could involve between 12 million and 18 million lines of information that may have been exposed.

The Paris prosecutor’s office, including the J3 unit and OFAC, announced the arrest on April 30 as part of ongoing investigations.

Initial reports noted about 11.7 million accounts affected and highlighted a broader push to review digital security responsibility across agencies.