On February 18, 2026, during Anarchapulco — a major libertarian and privacy-focused conference — Chris Horlacher experienced a highly targeted communication disruption.
While briefly physically separated from his wife, Meera, his ability to place audio and video calls to her on WhatsApp was temporarily disabled. The feature worked normally with all other contacts, and no other attendees at the conference reported similar issues with the app.
The disruption resolved later without any obvious cause on the user side.
Perhaps not coincidentally, it was reported by conference attendees that Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht had been spotted that same day in Puerto Vallarta harbor. It was spotted a week prior in Baja, which was widely reported by the media.
Furthermore, this communications disruption perfectly coincided with the beginning of a massive brute-force attack on one of Chris’s private communications servers – this will be analyzed and discussed in a future post.
The 2018 Kidnapping Attempt
This incident cannot be viewed in isolation. It echoes a far more serious event in November 2018 at World Crypto Con in Las Vegas. According to the Equibit Factum, Meera Horlacher was the target of a kidnapping attempt orchestrated by two Australian individuals identified as Levi “Rev” Nissan, a crypto “influencer”, and Azzam Elterekmani, potentially Levi’s handler. She was served a drink laced with a powerful substance believed to be GHB by Levi after Azzam demonstrated an interest in her. This event was documented in detail and forms part of the broader pattern of harassment against the Horlacher family.
Later, during discovery with Sergei Sachkov, his lawyer referred to these individuals as “my clients”, but has never clarified what relationship, if any, exists between him and these two individuals.
Most Likely Reasons for the 2026 Disruption
Given that no other conference attendees experienced WhatsApp issues and nothing of note occurred during the exact window the calls were blocked, the most plausible explanations are:
- Psychological Operations / Zersetzung Tactic
The temporary disablement of communication while physically apart is a classic method designed to create anxiety, isolation, and a sense of helplessness. It sends the clear message: “We can reach into your most personal connections whenever we choose.” - Testing or Calibration of Surveillance Capabilities
The attackers may have been testing the precision and real-time control of their access to communication channels without triggering broader alarms. - Creating a Window for Other Activity
While Chris was unable to reach Meera, the perpetrators may have been attempting something on her end (monitoring, social engineering, or physical coordination) that they did not want interrupted or verified in real time. - Demonstration of Power
A deliberate flex to remind the targets of the reach and sophistication of the operation, especially potent at a privacy-focused event.
The WhatsApp Connection and Intelligence Agency Tactics
This incident also fits a well-documented pattern of intelligence agencies exploiting WhatsApp for harassment and worse. The case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is perhaps the most infamous example. Khashoggi was allegedly targeted using Pegasus spyware (developed by NSO Group, an Israeli software company with direct ties to the IDF’s Unit 8200), which can infect devices through WhatsApp messages without the user needing to click anything.
Intelligence agencies worldwide — including those in the Five Eyes network — have repeatedly been accused of using WhatsApp for:
- Selective message interception and manipulation.
- Real-time location tracking.
- Coordinated harassment campaigns.
- In extreme cases, facilitating physical operations through compromised communications.
The temporary, selective nature of the disruption experienced by the Horlachers is consistent with these advanced capabilities.
Broader Implications
The ability to selectively disable communication features between two specific users on a major platform like WhatsApp, while the Chief Executive of Meta is nearby, demonstrates the level of control certain actors can exert. Combined with the 2018 kidnapping attempt and the ongoing digital attacks documented in the Equibit lawsuit, it paints a picture of a sustained, multi-year campaign of surveillance and psychological pressure.
Equibit Group Ltd. continues to document these incidents as part of the public evidence file. Every disruption, every anomaly, every targeted interference becomes another entry in the record.
The documentation continues.
Full lawsuit materials and timeline: equibitlawsuit.com
