South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops

Time ^ | 11/ 28/ 2018 | W.J. HENNIGAN

[Gamecock]

While serving time in a South Carolina prison, several inmates created an elaborate online “sextortion ring” that preyed on hundreds of U.S. servicemembers and manipulated them into sending money and nude photos of themselves, according to federal prosecutors.

In five separate indictments, prosecutors allege that the male prisoners used contraband cellphones to extort members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps through online dating websites by posing as young women. The online scheme bamboozled 442 troops out of more than $560,000, prosecutors say.

The prisoners developed fake personas as 18 or 19 year-old women on social media forums and online dating websites. They would then try to pursue online romantic relationships with U.S. servicemembers.

After developing the “relationship” on the websites, the prisoners began texting nude photographs of young women that they were impersonating. In fact, the photos were simply obtained from the Internet.

Once they texted the pictures, the prisoners asked the military members for nude photos or other personal information in return. When the solider responded with their nude photos, the prisoners would then assume a role of the woman’s father, who claimed his daughter was a juvenile. He would demand money, on behalf of the family, in exchange for not pursuing criminal charges.

Fearful that they might lose their military careers over possessing what they assumed was child pornography, the soldier would wire money through Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal or Walmart.

[tired&retired]

I read that the Palestinians have been doing this to Israeli soldiers for years.

(There must be an Anthony Weiner joke in this thread somewhere!)

[New Perspective]

The majority of the contraband that is brought into jails and prisons is concealed within the inmate’s rectum.

Based upon the size of the phone smuggled in we can estimate how long they have been incarcerated.

Prisoner #1 "I need a Galaxy 7"

Prisoner #2 raises hand, "Been here 20 years, consider it done".

[upchuck]

Belated ping

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