A new cybersecurity startup, IRIS C2, is aggressively marketing itself as a premier destination for vulnerability researchers and exploit developers, promising lucrative payouts of up to $7 million for zero-day exploits. However, a deep dive by KrebsOnSecurity reveals that the company is helmed by a duo with a notorious history of far-right conspiracy mongering, convicted felonies, and a pattern of operating under pseudonyms. This investigation uncovers a disturbing confluence of criminal pasts and ambitious technological ventures, raising serious questions about the integrity and potential motives behind IRIS C2’s operations.

IRIS C2, operating through its X/Twitter account @C2IRIS and website irisc2[.]com, has rapidly attracted attention within the cybersecurity community since its inception in January 2025. The company claims to be based in McLean, Virginia, and openly advertises its business model: to recruit top-tier talent in vulnerability research and exploit development, regardless of formal education or experience, prioritizing raw talent and high IQ. A pinned post on their X account states, "Attract the very best vulnerability researchers and exploit developers in the world to join our company. This mostly revolves around junior engineers with raw talent/extremely high IQ. We don’t care if they have a college degree/industry experience." Their website further elaborates on their mission, seeking "zero-day exploits, individual primitives, partial chains, and full capabilities across all major platforms," with payouts ranging from $10,000 to $7 million, contingent on the target, reliability, and operational value of the exploit.

Further investigation by KrebsOnSecurity, cross-referencing government contracting portals and business registrations, links irisc2[.]com to Calvexa Group LLC, a Virginia-based entity. The contact link for Calvexa Group redirects to the IRIS C2 website, indicating a close operational connection. While Calvexa Group LLC is registered as a federal contractor on g2exchange.com, public records do not show any direct government contracts awarded to the company.

The registered address for Calvexa Group LLC in Arlington, Virginia, leads to the residence of Jack Burkman, a 60-year-old figure known for founding 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 have a well-documented and extensive history of engaging in deceptive and fraudulent activities. Their past ventures include the creation of fictitious intelligence companies used to disseminate false narratives and frame public figures. Noteworthy among these are fabricated sexual assault allegations 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 of extramarital affairs by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kamala Harris, then a 2020 presidential candidate.

The duo’s penchant for election interference came to a head following the 2020 presidential election. They faced prosecution from multiple U.S. states for orchestrating thousands of robocalls to residents of battleground states, disseminating misinformation about mail-in ballots. In Cleveland, they were indicted on 15 felony counts for a robocall scheme designed to suppress the Black vote in Detroit. After their appeals to dismiss the charges were rejected, they were sentenced to probation in late 2025.

Adding to their criminal record, Wohl and Burkman pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of telecommunications fraud in Ohio in 2022, receiving a sentence that included a fine, probation, and community service. A New York civil court judge in March 2023 found them in violation of federal and state civil rights laws, leading to a $1 million settlement. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) further penalized them in June 2023 with a $5.1 million fine for their robocall campaigns, which at the time was the largest fine ever sought by the FCC under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Jacob Wohl’s entrepreneurial history, even from a young age, is riddled with controversy. By 17, he had launched multiple investment firms and garnered the moniker "Wohl of Wall Street" after appearing on Fox News in 2015 to discuss his hedge funds. However, by 2017, the Arizona Corporation Commission had charged Wohl and his investment funds with 14 counts of securities fraud, 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 undisclosed security vulnerabilities, often referred to as the "gray market," has historically been a complex ecosystem populated by legitimate researchers, academics, opportunists, and individuals involved in illicit cyber activities. However, the market for selling offensive cybersecurity services, particularly to government entities, is typically characterized by a more discreet and regulated approach. While numerous government contractors actively recruit vulnerability researchers and secure exclusive rights to novel software exploits, IRIS C2’s open and brazen recruitment strategy sets it apart.

KrebsOnSecurity became aware of IRIS C2 when an attendee at a recent regional cybersecurity conference reported that Wohl and Calvexa Group were actively soliciting individuals to sell their vulnerability research.

In an interview with KrebsOnSecurity, Wohl downplayed Jack Burkman’s involvement in the daily operations of IRIS C2, stating that Burkman was not part of the day-to-day activities. Wohl explained that IRIS C2 initially operated as a penetration testing company but had recently pivoted to offering phone-hacking services to the government. Throughout the interview, Wohl repeatedly alluded to working on federal government contracts but declined to provide specific details, citing non-disclosure agreements.

Wohl admitted to having no formal education or training in computer science or information security, claiming his expertise is entirely self-taught. He boasted, "I know more about tech than anyone. 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." He described how security researchers regularly bring preliminary vulnerability findings to the company, often in the form of "exploit primitives," which require further development to become stable and reliable.

Wohl claimed IRIS C2 employs approximately 40 individuals, though he stated they are instructed not to list their employment on LinkedIn for operational security reasons. This mirrors a past statement from the IRIS C2 X account author who mentioned his girlfriend was unaware of his profession. It’s plausible that other IRIS C2 employees might also be unaware of Wohl’s history of fabrication or even his real name.

Further complicating the picture, a September 2024 Politico report revealed that Burkman and Wohl were operating their now-defunct AI-based lobbying platform, LobbyMatic, under pseudonyms. Wohl reportedly used "Jay Klein," while Burkman adopted the moniker "Bill Sanders." Politico found that some former LobbyMatic employees resigned upon discovering their true identities, while others only learned of the deception after their departure.

An update to the KrebsOnSecurity report on July 9th highlighted findings from journalist Molly White, who in March reported that Burkman and Wohl received a $300,000 retainer from a Canadian cryptocurrency fraudster sought by the U.S. and other countries for allegedly stealing $65 million from KyberSwap and Indexed Finance. According to White’s report, Burkman and Wohl were hired to seek a "presidential pardon to avert a miscarriage of justice" on behalf of the accused hacker, who had not yet been convicted. This revelation further underscores the pattern of association with individuals involved in illicit financial activities.