High-Profile Connections Exposed

A recent examination of Venmo accounts suggests that numerous profiles might belong to prominent figures, including politicians and industry leaders. Notable names range from U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw (Texas) to a former mayor of Deltona, Florida, along with various venture capitalists and defense industry executives such as Christian Brose, president of defense technology firm Anduril.

Influential Networks

Among the accounts scrutinized, Michael Waltz’s, attributed to a key advisor to former President Donald Trump, stands out. The account reportedly features a friend list of 182 connections, which includes well-known individuals like Pam Bondi, the former U.S. Attorney General, and Hope Hicks, a former White House communications director.

Privacy Settings Come Under Fire

Although the Venmo transactions of Waltz, along with advisors Wiles and Barrett, remain undisclosed, their settings allowed friend lists to be publicly visible. Following inquiries from WIRED, both Waltz and Wiles adjusted their privacy settings to restrict access to their connections.

Erin Mackey, a Venmo spokesperson, commented, “We take our customers’ privacy seriously, which is why we let customers choose their privacy settings on Venmo for both their individual payments and friends lists — and we make it incredibly simple for customers to make these private if they choose to do so.”

Historical Context of Privacy Settings

The issue of privacy on Venmo has been contentious. In July 2024, reports surfaced regarding then-Vice President JD Vance’s publicly accessible Venmo account, which unveiled a web of connections to various political figures and right-wing media personalities. Vance’s account was found to have ties to Waltz’s network, further illustrating the interconnectedness of these high-profile users.

Originally, when Waltz’s account was created in 2017, Venmo prompted users to link their phone contacts to easily form a network. Critics, including privacy advocates from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have voiced concerns that this system could unintentionally expose sensitive social ties by default. This flaw came to light after a 2021 incident involving President Joe Biden’s publicly searchable account, prompting Venmo to allow users to hide their friend lists—but the setting remains opt-in, leaving many exposed inadvertently.

Connections Beyond the High-Profile

The profile linked to Waltz also includes several accounts that seem to belong to everyday individuals, such as doctors, real estate agents, and other service providers. These familiar connections, while seemingly innocuous, could provide insight into personal matters that might be exploited for nefarious purposes. Experts warn that such “soft targets” become vulnerable due to their association with high-profile individuals, emphasizing the need for enhanced privacy measures.