Michael Clapsis has been released on strict bail conditions after being accused of setting up “evil twin” Wi-Fi networks to steal personal data from users at various locations, including airports across Australia.
The Perth man was arrested last month following concerns raised by staff from a domestic airline, who identified a suspicious Wi-Fi network during a flight.
This prompted an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), who searched Clapsis’s luggage when he returned to Perth from an interstate flight in April.
The AFP seized several electronic devices from his hand luggage, and after examination, Clapsis was charged with seven offenses.
According to the AFP, Clapsis used a portable wireless access device to create free Wi-Fi networks at multiple locations, luring users into connecting to these networks.
Once users attempted to connect, they were redirected to a fake website that required them to log in using their email or social media accounts.
The AFP alleges that Clapsis saved these details, potentially using them to access further personal information, including stored images and bank details.
Cybercrime investigators discovered data on the seized devices indicating the use of these fake Wi-Fi networks at airports in Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide, on domestic flights, and at locations linked to Clapsis’s previous employment ABC reported.
The charges against Clapsis include three counts of unauthorised impairment of electronic communication and three counts of possession or control of data with intent to commit a serious offense.
During his appearance in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, Clapsis was not required to enter a plea.
He was released on $20,000 bail, with conditions including the surrender of his passport, residing at a specified address, and limited internet and social media use for personal matters related to him and his family. He is scheduled to return to court in August.
