crime

Accused D.C. madam causes 46-lb. records fuss (CNN)

by Viviane on 04/13/2007

in crime, law, sex work

WASHINGTON (AP) — High-priced call girls always seem to have their little black books. Deborah Jeane Palfrey, accused of running an illegal escort service in the nation’s capital, has 46 pounds of phone records.

And her offer — or threat — to turn them over to the media has some in Washington playing a guessing game as to whether any Beltway movers and shakers are on her list of up to 15,000 client phone numbers.

The 50-year-old alleged D.C. Madam was indicted earlier this month by a federal grand jury on charges of running a high-class call girl ring in the Washington area from her home in Vallejo, California. She has denied the escort service engaged in prostitution.

In court records, prosecutors estimate that her business, Pamela Martin and Associates, generated more than $2 million in revenue over 13 years, with more than 130 women employed at various times to serve thousands of clients at $200 to $300 a session.

Her home was raided months ago, but the case attracted little interest until earlier this month, when Palfrey announced that to raise money for her defense, she intended to sell her phone records to any news outlet willing to pay. (more…)

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Whip Appealed (Village Voice)

by Viviane on 03/20/2007

in bdsm, bondage, crime, Glenn Marcus, law, nyc

Tristan writes about the Glenn Marcus BDSM trial (and also mentions Alan):

I don’t know enough about Marcus and Jodi to know if there were some serious personality flaws lurking beneath their chosen roles. What is clear is that the relationship began as consensual but, for Jodi, at some point this changed. It’s possible that she regretted her participation and re-wrote her role into an unwilling victim, but it’s equally likely that Marcus lost touch with reality, believed he actually owned her, and behaved accordingly. The relationship was even thornier because it was entwined with a for-profit business. Masters and mistresses order their slaves to do lots of things: clean the house, lick Mistress’s boots, give Master a blowjob, and so on. When Marcus made his slave do things or he did things to her, there was profit to be made from it—more specifically, from the photos he took and posted on Slavespace.com, which was membership-based. Furthermore, he tasked her with working on technical aspects of the site and considered that part of her service to him as a slave, so he didn’t pay her. (Sources I spoke to said they both lived off the site’s profits.)

We may never know the whole truth of this he-say-she-say story, but jurors determined that Marcus crossed the line. Alan, a lawyer who spoke to several experts who testified and who blogged about the trial (alanesq.livejournal.com), told me he believes Marcus’s fate probably hinged on the fact that Jodi consented to non-consensual play—a concept not unheard of among players, but one which negates the consent.

(more…)

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Take Action: Julie Amero Porn Case (BoingBoing)

by Viviane on 02/22/2007

in crime, law, legal, privacy, security

Steve Bass at PC World has a good blog entry about the ridiculous conviction of Julie Amero, a substitute teacher who was arrested when a OC computer riddled with pop-up adware began displaying pornographic photos in front of junior high school students.

I’ve been privy to private conversations with a dozen security experts (you’d immediately recognize many names), forensic examiners, and an attorney (one that I’d choose for my defense if ever I needed one).

Unfortunately, there’s lots I can’t repeat. However, what I can say is the consensus is that Amero is getting a bad rap for a lot of reasons. High on the list was a poor defense, a not-very-PC-savvy judge, and a school district that won’t take responsibility of having no current protection on the computer in the classroom. For instance, one forensic investigator examined an image of the PCs hard drive said the anti-virus program was ancient and the last time it was updated was in “August 2004,” and, he said, “hopelessly out of date.”

Right after my newsletter was posted, many of you asked what you could do. You can check the Julie Amero blog and consider helping by way of the Julie Amero Defense Fund.

Steve also urges readers to take action by emailing the people who have the power to drop the obviously bogus charges against this woman:

The State’s Attorney responsible for supervision of David Smith, the prosecutor in the Amero case, is Michael L. Regan. You might want to write him and strongly urge he help Smith file a motion to vacate the conviction. An e-mail to the Chief State’s Attorneys of Connecticut Kevin T. Kane and Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell can’t hurt, either. (There are more e-mail links on the Julie Amero site.)

If you write, however tempting, try not to go on a rant. Use your computing expertise — and a civil argument — and you’ll likely get better results.

The case has the public’s attention and it’s taken on an energy that won’t be stopped. Stay tuned.

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Child Porn Ring Uncovered in Austria (SFGate)

by Viviane on 02/08/2007

in crime

(02-07) 08:23 PST VIENNA, Austria (AP) –

Austrian authorities said Wednesday they have uncovered a major international child pornography ring involving more than 2,360 suspects from 77 countries, including hundreds in the United States, who paid to view videos of young children being sexually abused. (more...)

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U.S. astronaut tried to kidnap love rival: police (Reuters)

by Viviane on 02/06/2007

in crime, lisanowak

nowak U.S. astronaut tried to kidnap love rival: police (Reuters)Photo: AP/Orange County Sheriff’s Department

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) – Disguised in a dark wig, glasses and a trench coat, U.S. space shuttle astronaut Lisa Nowak waited in hiding for a woman she considered a rival for another astronaut’s affections and tried to kidnap her, police in Orlando said on Monday.

Nowak, 43, was arrested on charges including battery and attempted kidnapping, according to an Orlando police affidavit.

She told police she drove from Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman, who Nowak considered a rival for the attentions of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein, the affidavit said.

Nowak, a married flight engineer with three children, was awaiting her next flight assignment after traveling aboard the shuttle Discovery in July 2006. (more…)

[via Thomas Roche]

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Horny & Clyde (New York Post)

by Viviane on 02/01/2007

in blackmail, crime, newyork, newyorkpost, oral sex, sex

By HEIDI SINGER, KIERAN CROWLEY & CYNTHIA R. FAGEN

February 1, 2007 — A flamboyant con artist and his Hamptons gal pal videotaped sex romps with married lonely-hearts they met over the Internet – then blackmailed them for thousands of dollars in hush money, police said yesterday.

The scammers went by the screen names “Mr. Nice” and “Gina.” Cops identified them as Michael Largue, 44, of Franklin Square, L.I., and Shawn Payne, 34, of East Hampton, who picked their marks from the sexually explicit Web site FriendFinder.

Largue would lure an unsuspecting woman into a sexual relationship and Payne would do the same with men, police said.

Cops said they know of at least two extortion victims: an upstate woman, 47, they hit up for $51,000, and a man, 43, from Garden City.

The scheme worked well, cops say, because unlike a quickie one-night stand, the alleged blackmailers gained their victims’ personal history during pillow talk over several weeks while videotaping and photographing the sex acts.

“The victims are all upstanding individuals and respected members of their communities,” said Nassau County Police Detective Lt. Ray Cote.

Once a victim was hooked, the shakedown began. (more…)

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Collar and whip therapy ‘ethical’ (News.com.au)

by Viviane on 01/31/2007

in bdsm, bondage, crime, psychology

A PERTH psychologist says forcing a patient to wear a dog collar and call him master is well within his profession’s ethical guidelines.

Bruce Alistair Beaton, 64, of Fremantle, was giving evidence at his Western Australia District Court trial for indecently assaulting the 22-year-old woman between January and March 2005.

He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecent assault and one of aggravated sexual penetration.

Mr Beaton was arrested when police burst into his office in March 2005, after hearing whipping sounds while they secretly video recorded one of his treatment sessions with the now 24-year-old woman.

Mr Beaton told the court he had resorted to drastic treatment with his vulnerable, bulimic patient because gentle methods were not working because she was involved in violent relationships. (more…)

Thanks, Tess.

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Woman jailed after reporting rape (Yahoo)

by Viviane on 01/30/2007

in contraception, crime, EC, law, politics

By PHIL DAVIS, Associated Press Writer Tue Jan 30, 3:43 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. – A woman who told police she had been raped was jailed for two days after officers found an old warrant accusing her of failing to pay restitution for a 2003 theft arrest.

While she was behind bars, according to the college student’s attorney, a jail worker refused to give her a second dose of the morning-after contraceptive pill because of the worker’s religious convictions.

The 21-year-old woman was released Monday only after attorney Vic Moore reported her plight to the local media.
(more…)

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