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Politics

Florida man Stephen Alford, linked to alleged Gaetz plot, charged in $25 million scheme

Florida man Stephen Alford, linked to alleged Gaetz plot, charged in $25 million scheme

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) walks out of the committee room during a hearing with the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information System in the Rayburn House Office Building on May 14, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images

A man reportedly at the center of an alleged extortion plot involving Rep. Matt Gaetz and his family has been charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud a victim out of $25 million, in part by falsely promising he could secure a presidential pardon.

A grand jury charged Florida resident Stephen Alford, 62, with wire fraud in connection with the pardon scheme, carried out between March 16 and April 7, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Alford was also charged with attempting to stop the seizure of his iPhone by the government, said the grand jury indictment, which was signed by a U.S. magistrate judge on Aug. 18.

Alford was arrested earlier Tuesday and made his initial appearance in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida said in a press release. He faces up to 25 years imprisonment on the charged crimes, according to the prosecutors’ office.

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Gaetz, R-Fla., a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, is being investigated by the Department of Justice about whether the 39-year-old congressman had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, The New York Times reported in March.

Gaetz, at the time that report came out, had linked that DOJ probe with the alleged $25 million “organized criminal extortion” scheme against him and his father, Don Gaetz.

Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing. He has not been charged with a crime.

A Times report from April 1, which described Alford as a real estate agent with a prior fraud conviction, said that he and a former Air Force intelligence officer named Robert Kent approached Don Gaetz about providing funding for an attempt to rescue an American hostage in Iran.

They reportedly told Don Gaetz, 73, that securing that hostage, Robert Levinson, could help clinch a pardon for his son in case he was charged with federal crimes.

Don Gaetz then hired a lawyer and contacted the FBI, the Times reported. Kent denied the allegations.

The grand jury indictment did not refer to Matt Gaetz, Don Gaetz, Levinson or Kent by their full names.

Instead, it said that Alford gave “Person A” the phone number of “D.G.” in order to “discuss the purported release of R.L. from captivity in Iran and a purported ‘current federal investigation’ into Family Member A of D.G.”

In a text message, “it was conveyed to D.G. that Person A’s ‘partner will see to it that [Family Member A] receives a Presidential Pardon, thus alleviating all his legal issues,” the indictment alleged.

Alford then wrote a letter, titled “Project Homecoming,” which made claims about an “‘investigation by the FBI for various public corruption and public integrity issues’ related to Family Member A,” as well as a “Presidential Pardon” and the request for $25 million to “‘immediately fund the release’ of R.L.,” according to the indictment.

The letter allegedly instructed that the money was to be “deposited into a trust account of Law Firm A.”

Alford’s letter also falsely asserted that his “‘team has been assured by the President’ that he will ‘strongly consider’ a ‘Presidential Pardon,'” or tell the Justice Department to quash any probe of “Family Member A” if R.L. is released from captivity, the indictment said.

Alford also falsely told D.G., “I will assure you that [Family Member A] will get off his problems” and claimed he could “guarantee” that that family member “would not go to prison.”

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Entertainment

Meet Polka-Dot Man and Different Characters From ‘The Suicide Squad’

Meet Polka-Dot Man and Other Characters From ‘The Suicide Squad’

It may seem like a job for Superman to take on a giant intergalactic conqueror, but in The Suicide Squad, it’s up to the Task Force X D-List supervillains to save the day … or, more often, die trying .

After David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad, this new take of James Gunn (in theaters and on HBO Max) brings back and adds Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) a new group of squad members, drawn from the depths of DC Comics history. Here’s a guide to the comic book origins of some of these lesser-known squad members.

A reluctant Task Force X leader, Robert DuBois (Idris Elba), is a seasoned mercenary who goes by the name of Bloodsport. The character first appeared in the Superman comic series in 1987. DuBois dodged being drafted for the Vietnam War, but his brother went in his place and lost both arms and legs in the fight. In response, Robert suffers a nervous breakdown and begins a murderous rampage against innocent civilians. His brother finally talks him down, but not before Robert seriously injures Superman with a kryptonite ball.

The cartoon character Bloodsport was equipped with technology that enabled him to seemingly pull weapons out of nowhere, and the film incarnation achieves a similar effect by hiding weapons in his armor. While his Vietnam-era motivation for the film has been dropped, Bloodsport’s family remains important to him: he joins the team to keep his daughter from going to jail for a minor crime, a sentence given by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), the vengeful head of Task Force X.

In the film, John Cena plays this self-proclaimed pacifist who will kill anyone he needs to keep the peace. In this incarnation, the character is much less at odds with the contradictions between his mission and his methods than when he made his debut on the Charlton Comics series Fightin ‘5 in 1966. He was Christopher Smith, a diplomat who wasn’t involved in the fight against crime – resort to deadly tactics. DC Comics acquired Charlton’s characters in the 1980s, and Peacemaker was reinvented as a deadlier character, a person who resembled Marvel’s Punisher, albeit more psychotic.

Peacemaker’s bizarre helmet originally had the ability to shoot lasers, and for a while he thought it could use it to communicate with the souls of the people he had killed, although it was later found to be a symptom of mental illness. Cena will repeat the character on a “Peacemaker” TV series coming to HBO Max.

Cleo Cazo (Daniela Melchior) is a female take on Ratcatcher, a Batman villain who first appeared in Detective Comics in 1988. The original ratcatcher was a rodent expert who trained rats to attack and kill its enemies. His real identity was Otis Flannegan, a plumbing worker who was jailed for murder. He sought revenge by holding captive the people who took him away, though Batman eventually discovered his hiding place and freed his surviving prisoners.

Friendlier and friendlier than its comic book counterpart, the movie’s Ratcatcher 2 was unfairly imprisoned when their ability to control rats was seen as a deadly weapon. As her name suggests, she is not the first; her father appears in flashbacks and is played by filmmaker Taika Waititi.

Portrayed in the film by David Dastmalchian, Polka-Dot Man is a symbol of Batman’s Campier opponents of the 1960s. In the comics, Abner Krill, originally called Mister Polka-Dot, was a criminal with access to a range of punctiform weapons and technology, including circular saw dots, projectile dots, and dots that lead to a flying saucer.

Given the character’s silliness (Gunn called him “the dumbest DC character ever”), it’s not surprising that Polka-Dot Man has had very few appearances in comics over the years. His powers were also revised for the film; Instead of using polka dot technology, he now has a troubling state that causes deadly polka dots to grow inside his body; if they are not evicted, they will kill him.

King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone) is an extremely dangerous and extremely stupid human-shark hybrid. The character first appeared in an issue of Superboy in 1994, but he was also an archenemy for Aquaman. Unlike most of the other characters in the film, King Shark has a long history as a member of the Suicide Squad in the comics, and he was originally considered for inclusion in the first film.

Although the character was remodeled into a hammerhead shark in 2011, the film returns to its original great white shark look. Most recently, a tech geek version of King Shark, voiced by Ron Funches, appeared in the animated series “Harley Quinn”. Even though he’s less evil than his comic book counterpart, he still maintains his fondness for human flesh.

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Entertainment

‘Ailey’ Assessment: A Poetic Have a look at the Man Behind the Dances

‘Ailey’ Review: A Poetic Look at the Man Behind the Dances

Too often, the idea of Alvin Ailey is reduced to a single dance: “Revelations.” His 1960 exploration of the Black experience remains a masterpiece, but it also overshadows the person who made it. How can an artist grow after such early success? Who was Alvin Ailey the man?

In “Ailey,” the director Jamila Wignot layers images, video and — most important — voice-overs from Ailey to create a portrait that feels as poetic and nuanced as choreography itself. Black-and-white footage of crowds filing into church, children playing, dance parties, and the dusty landscape of Texas (his birthplace) builds an atmosphere. Like Ailey’s dances, the documentary leaves you swimming in sensation.

Ailey’s story is told alongside the creation of “Lazarus,” a new dance by the contemporary choreographer Rennie Harris, whose homage to Ailey proposes an intriguing juxtaposition of past and present. In his search to reveal the man behind the legacy, Harris lands on the theme of resurrection. Ailey died in 1989, but his spirit lives on in his dancers.

But his early days weren’t easy. Born in 1931, Ailey never knew his father and recalls “being glued to my mother’s hip. Sloshing through the terrain. Branches slashing against a child’s body. Going from one place to another. Looking for a place to be. My mother off working in the fields. I used to pick cotton.”

He was only 4. Ailey spoke about how his dances were full of “dark deep things, beautiful things inside me that I’d always been trying to get out.”

All the while, Ailey, who was gay, remained intensely private. Here, we grasp his anguish, especially after the sudden death of his friend, the choreographer and dancer Joyce Trisler. In her honor, he choreographed “Memoria” (1979), a dance of loneliness and celebration. “I couldn’t cry until I saw this piece,” he says.

Ailey’s mental health was fragile toward the end of his life; Wignot shows crowds converging on sidewalks, but instead of having them walk normally, she reverses their steps. He was suffering from AIDS. Before his death, he passed on his company to Judith Jamison, who sums up his magnetic, enduring presence: “Alvin breathed in and never breathed out.”

Again, it’s that idea of resurrection. “We are his breath out,” she continues. “So that’s what we’re floating on, that’s what we’re living on.”

Ailey
Rated PG-13. Running time: 1 hour and 22 minutes. In theaters.

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Politics

Man accused of bomb plot in opposition to Democrats abused steroids, proclaimed ‘REVOLUTION’

Man accused of bomb plot against Democrats abused steroids, proclaimed 'REVOLUTION'

Two California men have been indicted for allegedly plotting to attack the Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento with explosive devices following last year’s presidential election. 

The men were charged Thursday in a San Francisco federal court with conspiracy to destroy a building affecting interstate commerce and other related crimes, in a scheme to attack the John L. Burton Democratic Headquarters in Sacramento. 

Ian Rogers, 45, of Napa, and Jarrod Copeland, 37, of Vallejo, began plotting a series of “specific, detailed, and serious” plans to attack Democrats with incendiary devices after the 2020 presidential election, according to court documents. The men also attempted to gain support from militia groups in hopes that their attack would spark a movement to overthrow the government. 

The charges come as authorities are on heightened alert for potential political violence following the Jan. 6 invasion of Capitol Hill by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who sought to block the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.

“Do you think something is wrong with me how I’m excited to attack the democrats?” Rogers asked Copeland on a messaging app last December.

Copeland, who was arrested Wednesday, later told police that he didn’t take Rogers’ statement seriously and was only listening to him “blow off steam.”

But court records indicate that Copeland encouraged Rogers’ discussions about violence with messages stating that they would take action to keep Trump in office. 

“If we see [Trump] can’t win we strike,” Copeland said in one message. “If they don’t listen to trump they will hear us.” 

Copeland also contacted the Proud Boys and Three Percenters, two extreme anti-government militia groups, and attempted to recruit individuals to join their plot in late December, authorities said. 

Court records state that Copeland had joined the military in 2013 but was arrested for desertion twice and was discharged in 2016 in lieu of court martial. He then joined the Three Percenters and later became an officer within the militia group, court records say.

The two men continued discussions of violent attacks on Democrats after election results were certified on Jan. 6, according to the charges. Prosecutors alleged that the insurrection at the Capitol had inspired them, citing Copeland’s excited messages on that day that fantasized about violence. 

“REVOLUTION,” “REVOLUTION,” “REVOLUTION,” Copeland said about the insurrection. “I’m f—— juiced!!!!!”

“Damnit I wanna roll into sac geared up,” another message of his said, referring to Sacramento and his military-style tactical gear and weapons. 

The Democratic headquarters in Sacramento was selected as their first target to attack with explosive devices, and the two men had discussed attacking the Twitter and Facebook headquarters next, prosecutors charged. 

“Heads must be taken,” Copeland said. “I don’t like to think it but I think we will have to die for what we believe in.”

Rogers was arrested on Jan. 15 accused of possessing five pipe bombs and remains in state custody in Napa County on multiple weapons charges. In addition to the pipe bombs, authorities seized nearly 50 firearms and about 15,000 rounds of ammunition from his home and business, according to a criminal complaint. 

Materials used to make destructive devices were also found at his business, including black powder, pipes and end caps and several manuals, such as “The Anarchist Cookbook,” the “U.S. Army Improvised Munitions Handbook” and “Homemade C-4: A Recipe for Survival,” the complaint said. 

Authorities also reported discovering a sticker on Rogers’ vehicle window that is commonly used by Three Percenters. 

A day after Rogers’ arrest, Copeland purged all past communications with Rogers in fear of being traced. 

Court records also allege Copeland abuses anabolic steroids, noting a $1,200 purchase of steroids in December and the seizure of steroids from his home in January.

“The danger he poses to anyone with opposing political views is obvious,” the court records said. 

If convicted, the two men could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, according to the Department of Justice.

Rogers also faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for his additional weapons charge, and Copeland faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for his destruction of evidence charge. 

Rogers’ attorney declined CNBC’s request for comment, and Copeland’s attorney could not be reached for comment. 

“Firebombing your perceived political opponents is illegal and does not nurture the sort of open and vigorous debate that created and supports our constitutional democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “The allegations in the indictment describe despicable conduct. Investigation and prosecution of those who choose violence over discussion is as important as anything else we do to protect our free society.”

Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party, called their alleged plot “extremely disturbing.”

“We are relieved to know the plot was unsuccessful, the individuals believed to be responsible are in custody, and our staff and volunteers are safe and sound,” Hicks said in a statement Thursday. “Yet, it points to a broader issue of violent extremism that is far too common in today’s political discourse.”

— CNBC’s Dan Mangan and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

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Health

Tapping Into the Mind to Assist a Paralyzed Man Communicate

Tapping Into the Brain to Help a Paralyzed Man Speak

For years, Pancho communicated by spelling out words on a computer using a pointer attached to a baseball cap, an arduous method that allowed him to type about five correct words per minute.

“I had to bend/lean my head forward, down, and poke a key letter one-by-one to write,” he emailed.

Last year, the researchers gave him another device involving a head-controlled mouse, but it is still not nearly as fast as the brain electrodes in the research sessions.

Through the electrodes, Pancho communicated 15 to 18 words per minute. That was the maximum rate the study allowed because the computer waited between prompts. Dr. Chang says faster decoding is possible, although it’s unclear if it will approach the pace of typical conversational speech: about 150 words per minute. Speed is a key reason the project focuses on speaking, tapping directly into the brain’s word production system rather than hand movements involved in typing or writing.

“It’s the most natural way for people to communicate,” he said.

Pancho’s buoyant personality has helped the researchers navigate challenges, but also occasionally makes speech recognition uneven.

“I sometimes can’t control my emotions and laugh a lot and don’t do too good with the experiment,” he emailed.

Dr. Chang recalled times when, after the algorithm successfully identified a sentence, “you could see him visibly shaking and it looked like he was kind of giggling.” When that happened or when, during the repetitive tasks, he’d yawn or get distracted, “it didn’t work very well because he wasn’t really focused on getting those words. So, we’ve got some things to work on because we obviously want it to work all the time.”

The algorithm sometimes confused words with similar phonetic sounds, identifying “going” as “bring,” “do” as “you,” and words beginning with “F” — “faith,” “family,” “feel” — as a V-word, “very.”

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Politics

Texas Man Who Waited Hours to Vote Is Arrested on Prices of Unlawful Voting

Texas Man Who Waited Hours to Vote Is Arrested on Charges of Illegal Voting

“He faces the possibility of an extremely harsh sentence,” he said. “Second degree crimes are usually reserved for grievous bodily harm, and to apply it to Mr. Rogers’ case, that only shows how unfair that is.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under investigation for professional misconduct after challenging President Biden’s victory in court, brought charges against Mr. Rogers. He has made it his business to prosecute cases of voter fraud, which are very rare in the United States and are usually small mistakes when they happen.

“Hervis is a felon who is rightly banned from voting under TX law,” Paxton wrote on Twitter. “I pursue electoral fraud everywhere we find it!”

Republicans on battlefields in Texas and other states have been aggressively pushing to curtail electoral laws since former President Donald J. Trump made false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. On Thursday, Republicans in the Texas legislature presented plans to overhaul the state’s electoral machinery for the second time this year. They outlined a number of proposed new restrictions on voting access that would be among the most far-reaching electoral laws to be passed this year.

For some, Mr. Rogers’ case sparked another recent indictment in the state.

In 2017, Crystal Mason was sentenced to five years in prison for casting a preliminary ballot in the 2016 presidential election while being released under custody for a federal tax fraud crime. Her preliminary ballot was not counted and her case is pending in the Texas Supreme Court of Appeals after Ms. Mason appealed.

After her conviction, Ms. Mason was held in federal prison for 10 months for violating her supervised release. If Ms. Mason loses her appeal, she will have to serve her five-year prison sentence, Ms. Grinter said.

Mr. Rogers and Ms. Mason could meet in the coming weeks, Ms. Grinter said.

“They share a bond that neither of them wanted at the time,” said Ms. Grinter. “She really feels for him and knows what it feels like to be made out of such a political sport.”

On Friday, Ms. Mason expressed her support for Mr. Rogers.

“I wish this had never happened to you,” wrote Ms. Mason on Twitter. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. Welcome to the fight. “

Michael Levenson contributed to the coverage.

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Business

Man Purchased Lamborghini With PPP Mortgage, Prosecutors Say

Man Bought Lamborghini With PPP Loan, Prosecutors Say

A California man who received more than $ 5 million in paycheck protection program loans to help businesses in trouble during the coronavirus pandemic was arrested Friday on Friday on federal bank fraud and other charges after prosecutors said he had used the money to buy a Lamborghini and other federal luxury cars.

The man, Mustafa Qadiri, 38, from Irvine, was charged by a federal grand jury on four cases of bank fraud, four cases of wire fraud, one case of aggravated identity theft and six cases of money laundering, the U.S. attorney in the Central District of California announced.

Prosecutors said Mr. Qadiri’s federal loan efforts began in late May 2020 and grossed him nearly $ 5.1 million by early June. Mr. Qadiri is accused of using that money on a shopping spree that included buying a Ferrari, a Lamborghini and a Bentley and paying for “wasteful vacations,” all of which are banned under the paycheck protection program, prosecutors said.

Bilal A. Essayli, a lawyer for Mr. Qadiri, declined to comment.

Mr. Qadiri filed applications for Covid-19 relief funds with three different banks to help four California-based companies that were actually down, according to prosecutors. In addition to submitting fraudulent company information and “changed bank account details”, a statement from the prosecutor said Mr. Qadiri was using someone else’s name, social security number and signature on applications.

Some of Mr. Qadiri’s assets have already been confiscated, prosecutors said. Federal agents seized a 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia registered with All American Capital Holdings, one of the companies listed on Mr. Qadiri’s PPP loan applications. A 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S registered with the same company was also confiscated.

The 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia can sell for more than $ 100,000, according to Cars.com. It has a V-8 engine and 570 horsepower and can go from zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. Says the rating.

Another popular website for auto enthusiasts, Kelley Blue Book, has a listing for a 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia that sells for $ 179,000. The website also has a 2018 report on the Lamborghini Aventador S that states, “There is no better car to showcase your success or to stroke your ego.” This car has a V-12 engine and 740 horsepower and can go from zero to 60 mph in less than three seconds. According to the test report, one of its disadvantages is: “The Aventador is neither the most comfortable car to drive in, nor is it terribly efficient. It deserves an EPA estimated at 10 mpg for city driving. “

On Lamborghini.com, the website describing the Aventador S has the slogan “Dare your ego”.

Prosecutors said in a statement that another luxury vehicle Mr. Qadiri bought with PPP money, a 2020 Bentley Continental GT Coupe, had also been confiscated.

A US law firm spokesman said that if Mr. Qadiri were convicted, the charges against him would result in a maximum sentence of 302 years in prison.

Dozens of people have been arrested and charged with misusing pandemic aid funds. Mr. Qadiri is at least the third person to be charged with buying a Lamborghini.

In July, a Florida man who had received nearly $ 4 million was arrested on bank fraud and other charges after buying a blue Lamborghini for $ 318,497. In August, a Texas man who received more than $ 1.6 million from the same federal program was arrested on bank fraud and other charges after buying a 2019 Lamborghini Urus for $ 233,337.60, among other charges.

In February, Florida man David T. Hines pleaded guilty to wire fraud with a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. He is waiting to be sentenced. The case against Texas man Lee Price III continues.

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Entertainment

‘Wrath of Man’ Assessment: ‘H’ Has Some Fury

‘Wrath of Man’ Review: ‘H’ Has Some Fury

Filmmaker Guy Ritchie has long shown a willingness to embrace almost any blockbuster format a particular studio might want to offer him. Experience the noisy Sherlock Holmes-era shots he took with Robert Downey Jr. or his recent live-action look at Disney’s Aladdin. But his most entertaining films remain the tough, nasty crime thrillers with which he began his career in 1999 with “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”.

His new “Wrath of Man” is such an item, although it’s darker and less exuberant than “Lock”. It’s also a remake of the 2004 French film “Le Convoyeur”. Ritchie does better here with used material than with “Aladdin”, not to mention “Swept Away” (2002).

Jason Statham plays Hill, a mysterious, silent tough guy who takes a job at an armored car company that was recently hit by murderous robbers. His coach, Bullet, shortens Hill’s name to “H.” “Like the bomb,” Bullet explains to a colleague.

H proves his prowess by single-handedly hijacking a truck in which, in an extraordinarily satisfying moment, he pulls out a punk played by pop musician Post Malone. H’s staff greet him as a hero, but other characters wonder who exactly this guy is and what he’s doing on this job.

As Kirk Douglas pointed out in “The Fury” and Liam Neeson in “Taken,” there are certain men whose families shouldn’t be messed with. Here Statham is one of them. The severity of H’s true mission explains the tone of the film. Ritchie reveals key story points with clever time-juggling editing and keeps the tension going well into the climax of the film, which delivers exactly what the viewer was hoping for.

Wrath of man
Rated R for violence and language. Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes. In theaters. Please consult the Policies of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before viewing films in theaters.

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Business

Cramer counts Chipotle, Darden as ‘final man standing’ restaurant performs

Cramer counts Chipotle, Darden as 'last man standing' restaurant plays

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Monday released a list of stocks he expects to benefit from the “last man standing scenario”.

“After a year of slaughter, large companies with deep pockets are triumphing over their smaller competitors who didn’t make it,” said the Mad Money host.

The scenario will play out briskly in the restaurant industry, Cramer said.

Last year, more than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed temporarily or permanently during the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact resulted in the loss of 2.5 million jobs in the industry, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Coronavirus restrictions in New York City also pushed Cramer to close the doors of his two Brooklyn neighborhood restaurants until coronavirus vaccines spread and the U.S. health crisis came under control.

“As a restaurant owner, I can tell you that companies like Darden and Chipotle are now getting stakes in empty storefronts,” he said.

In addition to Chiptole and Darden, the parent company of Olive Garden, Cramer pointed to Cheesecake Factory, Yum Brands, Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks as beneficiaries of the current environment.

“Now that tens of thousands of small businesses have gone down so sadly and unfortunately, their bigger rivals are the last of the men, which means they will make a fortune as the country reopens because there is no one left to challenge them.” “”

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World News

South Korean Man Will get 34 Years for Operating Sexual Exploitation Chat Room

South Korean Man Gets 34 Years for Running Sexual Exploitation Chat Room

SEOUL – A South Korean man was sentenced to 34 years in prison Thursday before being forced into pornography as part of the country’s crackdown on an infamous network of online chat rooms that lured young women, including minors, with promises of high-paying jobs.

The man, Moon Hyeong-wook, opened one of the first such websites in 2015, prosecutors said. The 25-year-old Mr. Moon operated a secret, members-only chat room under the nickname “GodGod” in the Telegram Messenger app and offered more than 3,700 clips of illegal pornography.

Mr. Moon, an architecture major who was expelled from college after his arrest last year, was one of the most notorious of the hundreds of people arrested by police in the course of their investigation. Another chat room operator, a man named Cho Joo-bin, was sentenced to 40 years in prison last November.

“The defendant did irreparable harm to his victims through his crime against society that undermined human dignity,” said presiding judge Cho Soon-pyo in his ruling on Mr. Moon on Thursday. The trial took place in a district court in Andong City in central South Korea.

Mr Moon was charged in June of forcing 21 young women, including minors, to make sexually explicit videos between 2017 and early last year.

He targeted young women looking for high-paying jobs through social media platforms and then lured them into making sexually explicit videos, which prosecutors said promised high payouts. He also hacked into the online accounts of women who had uploaded sexually explicit content and pretended to be a cop investigating pornography.

Once he received the pictures and personal information, he blackmailed them to blackmail the women and threatened to send the clips to their parents unless the victims provided more footage, prosecutors said.

The prosecution asked for a life sentence for Mr. Moon.

Last December, police announced they had investigated 3,500 suspects, most of them men aged 20 or over, as part of their investigation into online chat rooms used as avenues for sexual exploitation and pornographic dissemination. They arrested 245 of them.

The police also identified 1,100 victims.

The scandal, known in South Korea as the “Nth Room Case”, sparked outrage over the cruel exploitation of young women. Women’s rights groups struck courthouses where chat room owners were on trial and accused judges of condoning sex crimes by imposing what they considered light sentences.

On Thursday, lawyers held a rally outside the Andong Courthouse demanding the maximum sentence for Mr. Moon.

In recent years, South Korean police have taken action against sexually explicit file-sharing websites as part of an international effort to combat child pornography. As smartphones proliferated, they quickly found that much of the illegal trade migrated to online chat rooms through messaging services like Telegram.

Police said they were having trouble tracking customers in the online chat rooms because they often used cryptocurrency payments to avoid getting caught.