A cybersecurity startup, boldly offering millions for zero-day security vulnerabilities in popular software, is being steered by a duo with a documented history of far-right conspiracy theories and felony convictions. Their recent business endeavors include the creation of fictitious intelligence companies and a defunct AI-powered lobbying platform, both operated under assumed identities. The entity in question, IRIS C2, presents itself as a cybersecurity firm based in McLean, Virginia, specializing in "offensive cybersecurity capabilities." Since its inception in January 2025, the X/Twitter account @C2IRIS has rapidly amassed over 4,000 followers, becoming a frequent broadcaster of information concerning security vulnerabilities, artificial intelligence, and software exploits.

The core of IRIS C2’s recruitment strategy, as articulated in a pinned post on their X account, is to "attract the very best vulnerability researchers and exploit developers in the world to join our company." They emphasize a focus on "junior engineers with raw talent/extremely high IQ," explicitly stating a disregard for formal education or industry experience. This aggressive recruitment approach is further amplified by their website, irisc2[.]com, which details an array of open positions. A recent LinkedIn post from the company touts an "overwhelming number of applications" from potential employees. The website boldly advertises their business model: acquiring "zero-day exploits, individual primitives, partial chains, and full capabilities across all major platforms," with potential payouts ranging from $10,000 to an astonishing $7 million, contingent on the exploit’s target, reliability, and operational value.

Government contracting portals, such as g2exchange.com, identify irisc2[.]com as being operated by Calvexa Group LLC, a Virginia-based business. The contact information on Calvexa Group’s website, calvexagroup[.]com, redirects users directly to irisc2[.]com. While Calvexa Group LLC is registered as a federal contractor, G2Exchange records indicate no direct government contracts currently in effect. A deep dive into the Arlington, Virginia address listed in Calvexa Group LLC’s incorporation documents reveals that the property is occupied by Jack Burkman, the 60-year-old founder and managing partner of the lobbying firm Burkman & Associates. When questioned about IRIS C2, Burkman deferred inquiries to his long-time associate, 28-year-old Jacob Wohl.

Burkman and Wohl share a well-documented and controversial past, characterized by the creation of fabricated intelligence companies used to disseminate disinformation and frame public figures. Their history includes levying baseless sexual assault accusations against former FBI Director Robert Mueller and Pete Buttigieg, who was then the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and a Democratic presidential candidate. In 2019, Burkman and Wohl held press conferences making unsubstantiated claims about extramarital affairs involving Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kamala Harris, who was then a 2020 presidential candidate.

Following the 2020 presidential election, Wohl and Burkman faced prosecution in multiple U.S. states for orchestrating thousands of robocalls to residents of swing states, disseminating false information regarding mail-in ballots. They were indicted in Cleveland on 15 felony counts related to a robocall scheme aimed at suppressing the Black vote in Detroit. After their appeals to dismiss the charges were denied, they were sentenced to probation in late 2025. In 2022, both Wohl and Burkman entered guilty pleas to a single felony count of telecommunications fraud in Ohio, receiving a fine, probation, and community service. Further compounding their legal troubles, a New York civil judge ruled in March 2023 that Wohl and Burkman had violated federal and state civil rights laws, leading to a $1 million settlement. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took further action in June 2023, imposing a $5.1 million fine against Wohl and Burkman for their robocall campaigns, which at the time represented the largest fine ever sought by the FCC under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Wohl’s entrepreneurial ventures began at a remarkably young age. By 17, he had launched multiple investment firms, gaining notoriety and the moniker "Wohl of Wall Street" after appearing on Fox News in 2015 to discuss his burgeoning hedge funds. However, his financial dealings soon attracted regulatory scrutiny. In 2017, the Arizona Corporation Commission charged Wohl and his investment funds with 14 counts of securities fraud, ultimately ordering him to pay $35,000 in restitution. In 2019, Wohl pleaded guilty in California to four felony counts of selling unregistered securities, receiving a two-year probation sentence.

The market for previously undiscovered security vulnerabilities has historically been a complex ecosystem, attracting a diverse array of individuals ranging from legitimate researchers and academics to charlatans, publicity seekers, and those actively involved in cybercrime. However, the segment of this market focused on selling offensive security services to the U.S. government typically operates with a greater degree of discretion. While numerous government contractors actively recruit vulnerability researchers and secure exclusive rights to novel software exploits, none have adopted the overtly brazen and public approach employed by IRIS C2.

KrebsOnSecurity became aware of IRIS C2 only recently, when an attendee at a regional cybersecurity conference reported that Wohl and Calvexa Group were actively soliciting vulnerability research from attendees. In a direct interview with KrebsOnSecurity, Wohl stated that Jack Burkman is not involved in the day-to-day operations of IRIS C2. Wohl revealed that IRIS C2 initially functioned as a penetration testing company but has recently pivoted to offering phone-hacking services to government entities. Throughout the interview, Wohl repeatedly alluded to ongoing federal government contracts but declined to provide specific details, citing non-disclosure agreements.

Wohl admitted to lacking any formal education or training in computer science or information security, asserting that his expertise is largely self-taught. He confidently claimed, "I know more about tech than anyone," and boasted, "My background has always been extremely technical, and I’ve always been deeply into tech. People know me as someone who is able to create spectacularly exquisite capabilities that would make your head spin." Wohl indicated that security researchers consistently provide the company with novel vulnerability findings, but often these are preliminary and require further development. He elaborated, "Let’s say someone finds a flaw in a media decoder on a phone. A lot of times what we receive is an exploit primitive, where the idea is there but the [execution] needs work. You need that exploit to be stable and reliable, and that’s what we do."

Wohl estimates IRIS C2 employs approximately 40 individuals, though he stated that none are permitted to list their employment on LinkedIn for "operational security reasons." In May, the individual managing the IRIS C2 account on X remarked that his girlfriend was unaware of his professional activities. It is plausible that other employees of IRIS C2 are equally uninformed about Wohl’s history of fabrications, or even his actual identity.

In September 2024, Politico reported that Burkman and Wohl were promoting their now-defunct company, LobbyMatic, which claimed to leverage artificial intelligence for political lobbying. However, Politico’s investigation revealed that the pair were operating the company under pseudonyms, with Wohl reportedly using "Jay Klein" and Burkman employing "Bill Sanders." Politico further reported that two former LobbyMatic employees resigned upon discovering their true identities, while others learned of the deception only after their departure.

An update on July 9, at 9:44 a.m. ET, brought to light a March 31 publication by journalist Molly White. This report detailed that Burkman and Wohl had received a $300,000 retainer from a Canadian cryptocurrency fraudster sought by the United States and several other countries for allegedly stealing $65 million from the crypto platforms KyberSwap and Indexed Finance. According to White’s report, Burkman and Wohl were engaged to pursue a "presidential pardon to avert a miscarriage of justice" on behalf of the accused hacker, who had not yet been convicted at the time of the report.